The Island
by ButterflyAngel666
Summary: Re-edited/Re-posted-Pairings unkown. Kagome's summer should have been paradise at Shikon Island. What she wasn't prepared for was a summer full of sun, sand and murder. New Chapter Up!
1. Prologue

**Back with another story. I got this one all figured out though. Still working on my next chapter for running, which should be posted by the end of the week. Also i will be posting the next chapter for this before i go to bed tonight. Please enjoy. :)**

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

_Prologue_

He picked his way over the rocks, finally stopping to plunge his hands into the churning water.

There had been blood this time.

All the times before it had been so easy...so effortless...just that instant of surprise when they realized what was happening, and then everything over so quickly, so neat and clean, with hardly a struggle.

But this one was different.

This one had looked him right in the eyes, and begged for her life, and "Please," she had cried, over and over again, "Please dont kill me...please..."

And he couldnt listen anymore, all that crying and pleading, he couldn't look at her face, and he'd had to hit her...again...again...till finally she was quiet...

He'd wanted to be gentle with her, of all people.

Because she'd trusted him...cared about him so much...

But she'd come to him and told him that she knew, and she would have told others, and then they'd have put him away...

No, he couldnt let it happen.

He had his reputation to think of.

After all...he was the lifeguard.

**I know, i know the shortest ever. But it's the prologue of course, remember im posting the next chapter to night. :)**


	2. Arriving

**Re-vised/Re-posted. Please enjoy! Pairings unknown.**

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Arrival**_

_"Dont struggle," the voice said, "Dont...itll be easier if you dont struggle..."_

_But the roaring came again, like it always did, that growing surge of indistinct sound and a scream, muffled, distant..._

_"Dont struggle..."_

_But she was struggling..great gasps of air from lungs bursting, and that split second, that terrifying instant of realization as strengh gave out and water poured in, black and sickening and endless..._

_"Dont..." the voice was fading, as everything was fading, as her very life was fading...ending..._

_"Oh, God, help me!"_

**XXXXX**

Kagome Higurashi jolted upright, heart pounding, and her hands flew out, desperately seeking something to hold onto.

"Hey. You're ok. This old boats been through alot, but it's still pretty dependable."

She didn't know the boy beside her, but her hands were clasped down on his shoulders, and his eyes were so close that she could make out soft green flecks beneath his lashes.

"Oh, " she murmered and pulled away, concious now of the rocking movement of the ferry and the flush creeping over her cheeks. "Oh..I didnt..I mean...Im so sorry-"

The green eyes laughed at her "Dont apologize, woman throw themselves at me all the time-Im use to it. Look," he bent down to peer into her face "You're still pretty pale-Ill get you some water."

"No, really, I feel fine. Dont go to any trouble.."

"No trouble," he grinned. "Be right back."

She gave a half-hearted nod and leaned back against the wall, watching him dissapear down a stairway at the far end of the deck. _That dream again! _Kagome shut her eyes against the memory, she sighed and forced herself to stare at the vague ouline of land in the distance. _Shikon Island_. She had never even heard of Shikon Island before but Inutaisho, her mothers boyfriend, was coming here this summer to work on his plays and spend time with his kids, and he had invited Kagome and her mother for a visit. Kagome hadn't wanted to come, she'd had her heart set on going with her best friend to Eri's family cabin in the mountains.

"His sons are lifeguards," mom had tried to tempt her, " and his daughter cant wait to meet you.."

"We'll probably hate eachother, and ill probably hate the island too!"

"Youre going," she had said, and that was that.

Kagome groaned and grabbed ahold of the wall as the floor took a sudden slant beneath her feet.

Water. As far as she could see, choppy, grey water. An eternity of it.

"here you go."

She slammed back against the railing as a hand reached out to steady her.

"Hey, easy. I really think you should sit down..before you fall down." And it was him again, green eyes and a wide lazy smile with strong arms guiding her back to the wooden bech, safely away from the sea.

"Just drink this and stay put. Im a lifegaurd but Id rather not rescue you this far from shore."

Kagome's ears pricked up. "Lifeguard? Are you Inutaisho's son?"

For a moment Kagome felt a twinge of uneasiness, looking into his eyes. He stared at her, his grin slowly fading. "No, Shippou Fox. But i know both his sons. Are you...a friend?"

"Sort of. Im just visiting."

"Oh. Then I guess you havent heard."

The uneasiness began to spread, "heard what?"

Shippou opened his mouth, but before he could answer. Mrs. Higurashi rushed up, smiling as if she'd known him all her life.

"Isn't this boat great!" she waved her arms in the air. "I cant believe we're really here, can you Kagome? No city for two whole weeks! I wanted you to feed the gulls with me, but you were having the best nap and.."

At that point, shippou looked down at Kagome's bent head. "You are better now, aren't you?"

"Yes" Kagome said quickly. "Thanks again." She downed the last of her water and looked up to see her mother scrutinizing her.

"Somethings wrong," Mrs. Higurashi said flatly.

"No mom, its just a little headache." Kagome brushed it off. "Im feeling much better."

"It was the dream again," she said and kagome looked away, almost quiltily, "Oh, Kagome, you haven't had it for such a long time now, I just.."

"Its all this, " Kagome interrupted her with a tight voice. "The boat and all this water-you _Know_ how much i hate water, but you made me come anyways.." With a sharp intake of breath, she tried to control her anger.

"Well..if your sure your ok then," Shippou said slowly, taking a step back. "Id better go below. We'll be docking in a few minutes. See you on the island, huh?" He grinned and waved, vanishing in the crowds. Kagome closed her eye's and sighed.

"Kagome," Mrs. Higurashi whispered. "Honey, Im sorry. I thought it would be good for you to have a vacation. Make new friends. I...guess I thought..." her voice trembled, "maybe you could forget..."

She trailed off, but Kagomes mind raced on. _Forget? _How in the world would she ever forget? When every sight of water reminded her? When the same nightmare kept coming back? When every time she looked in a mirror, the reminder was always there: her fathers black eyes snapping back at her, her fathers black hair, wavy and wild.._his_ nose..._his_ chin..._his_ olive complexion..how could she ever foreget when _he_ wouldn't let her?

"Honey," her hand settled lightly on Kagome's head. "If you really hate it that much, you can call Eri, and.."

"It's okey," Kagome mumbled. "Come on-we'd better find our suitcases." As they joined the line near the exit, she even tried to laugh. "Well, at least Inutaisho's kids have never met me, so I still have a chance of impressing _somebody_. What are their names again?"

Mrs. Higurashi counted them off. "Lets see..there's Sango... the boys are Miroku..and Inuyasha. Inutaisho said this vacation was really Sango's idea, that they see each other so seldom, she wanted to get everybody together again."

Kagome mulled this over. "Thats nice. She sounds sweet."

"Taisho sure loves her-and Miroku-He talks all the time about Miroku's honors at school."

"What about Inuyasha?"

Her mom hesitated, a slight frown creasing her brow. "You know, Im not really sure. Taisho hardly ever talks about Inuyasha. I might be wrong, but I _sense_ something there. A holding back, maybe, I get the feeling he doesn't know Inuyasha as well as the others."

"Maybe Inuyasha's the problem child," Kagome shrugged.

"Maybe," she mused. "Inuyasha's the oldest, so it was probably hardest on him when their mother died. Whoops! Hang on, honey, I think we're going out!"

Kagome braced herself for the stampede as they were sucked through the doors and down the gangplank. The first thing she saw was the pier, swarming with people and shops. The next thing she saw was Inutaisho, fighting his way toward them.

Kagome lifted her hand to wave.

And then she saw his face and froze.

"Yura..."his voice cracked, and he grabbed them, held them close. "Yura, it's Sango." And then, as if both her and Kagome were beyond understanding..." My daughter. She's missing."

**This reminds me of me...Water scares me, i will not go in the river, lake or ocean. The closest i get is the bathtub. ANyways please review...id appreciate it.**


	3. The Note

**Please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

_**The Note**_

"what?" Mom's lips moved, marionettelike."what-"

"The boys are with the search party now. I tried to get ahold of you, but-"

"We stopped off to see my parents, I never..."

Inutaisho held up his hands. "I have to get back. We can talk on the way."

He shephereded them to a jeep, thowing their luggage in the back, and Kagome climbed in with the suitcases.

"It happened three days ago..." His shoulders hunched forward, fingers strained white on the wheel. "I should have kept tabs on her. Shes only fifteen...but my work..."His voice faltere d "I just cant believe she's..."

"Don't," mom whispered. "Dont even think it."

They found her sandals and beach towl-covered in blood..."

Kagome looked away, suddenly feeling sick.

"Rins a good swimmer, like her brothers. She knows the island, and shes not one to take risks."

"You dont think," mom suggested gently,"that she...well...staged something...maybe ran away?"

"She was going out that night," Inutaisho said. "With a local boy she really cared about. Shippou Fox."

"Shippou..." Kagome murmered, but Inutaisho didnt hear.

"The ferry only runs to the mainland twice a day. The last trips at four, and Rin was still home then. I know because she yelled at me from the hall, and I looked at the clock on my desk."

"What about a private boat?"

"They've already checked it out. Rin had no reason to leave here-she was _happy_."

_Shippou Fox!_ Kagome was sure that had been the name of the boy on the boat, but if that was the same Shippou Inutaisho was talking about, then why hadnt he seemed more upset? She pressed her nose against the fogged window, staring, when suddenly out of the rolling mist ahead something loomed up like a watchful animal. She leaned forward, frowning at the rocky horizon, at the black, ugly scars swelling agianst the hazy twilight, until the car turned into a driveway and stopped alongside a cottage.

The front door banged open immediately. "Dad?"

"Miroku-has there been any-"

The shake of the boys head stopped Inutaisho in this tracks. "Nothing. They're still searching the cliffs, but..." He looked at Kagome and her mother standing awkwardly by the car.

"Miroku," Intaisho murmured, "this is Yura and Kagome. This is my son Miroku."

"You look cold," Miroku said softly. "Come on inside."

He stood a head taller that Kagome,and although she knew he was about her age, his face and a mixture of solemnity was something that he would probably never outgrow. His hair was black, silkily brushing his shoulders and his eyes were gentle, lowering shyly as she stared at him.

As mom went into the house with Inutaisho, Kagome hesitated on the porch. "Im...really sorry," she stammered.

His eyes raised slowly, meeting hers for a brief instant, then glancing way. "It's good you're here."

Kagome nodded, squeezing past him into the living room. Mirokus t-shirt smelled of salt and sand; his damp jeans clung tightly to his narrow hips. As he went to get their bags, Kagome noticed a family photograph on the mantel-Inutaisho, Miroku, and another boy half hidden in the shadows, and- she supposed-Rin, a pretty girl with dimples and long hair and a long red scarf around her neck.

"I'll show you your room if you want," Miroku said behind her.

"Well...I dont know if we're staying-"

"Sure you're staying. Dad needs privacy for his work, so we have the cottage next door. Follow me."

He carried her suitcases across the yard and gave her a quick tour of the house.

"Inuyasha and I are in here," Miroku pointed to the first upstairs bedroom as they went past. "I guess he'll be coming back, now that its getting dark...Anyway, heres your room You can use this first bed." He flipped on the light, and as she stepped across the treshold, her heart sank.

Rin was everywhere-in the decor, the clothes in the closet, the shoes under a chair. Kagome swallowed hard and stared at the doors next to her own bed, almost a whole wall of floor to ceiling glass.

"I dont thing I can stay here."

Miroku looked sympathetic. "Rin was really looking foraward to meeting ou. She'd thought up all kinds of things for you to do."

Kagome walked slowly over to her bed, then saw something which made her stare. Propped against the pillows was an envelope with her her name on it.

"Whats this?" she asked softly.

Miroku shrugged, a sad smile crossing his face. "Who knows. RIn was always leaving little surprises around for everybody."

Kagome reached out and took the envelope between her fingers, sliding out the paper side, staring down at the message for a long time:

_Welcome, Kagome! So glad your here!_

_Love, Rin_

"She didnt even know me," Kagome murmeured at last. She glanced up at Miroku, who looked away. Oh, Miroku, I cant believe this is happening-"

"I cant, either." MIroku shook his head, bewildered, like a child who didnt understand. "I keep waiting for her to walk in..."

Kagome sat down. "Do you...want to talk about it?"

"Theres not much to tell," he sighed. "I didnt see Rin that day, But Inuaysha saw her going home around three-thirty. She was supposed to meet a friend of mine that night..."

_Shippou Fox..."_You and Inuyasha are lifeguards?:"

"My friend Shippou's one , too. There's two beaches on the island for swimming. West Beach is just down the hill form here .It goes about a mile along shore before it runs into the cliffs. The cliffs go another two miles...nobodys allowed to swim there...its all sharp rocks and really decieving. The cove's the most dangerous spot on the entire island . East beach is on the other side of the island from here, but its's private."

"Who uses it?" Kagome asked.

"The people who live there dont really use the beach that much' cause they have swimming pools. But they still want a lifegaurd around for security."

"Which beach do you work on?"

"We switch off. East beach only needs one lifegaurd. It's small, as there's never much going on." He crossed to the glass doors and stared out into the rainy darkness. "Three lifegaurds...and not one us helped Rin..."

Kagome was silent, turning the note over in her hand.

"They found some of her thing's at the cove," Miroku said quietly. "Rin liked to take walks by herself..go off along and think." He smilled remembering. "Sometimes she'd come back with these stories...she wanted to be a writer...so half the time you never knew if what she said was real or imaginary."

Kagome's throat ached, and she looked away.

"I dont know why she went there when she knew how dangerous it was." Miroku lowered himself onto the other bed. "They think she probably fell, that she was hurt so bad, she never had a chance."

"What do you mean?"

"The cove. Its..." Miroku broke off abruptly as a squeal of tires sounded beneath the windows, followed by the slamming of a car door. "There's Inuyasha..maybe hes heard something.."

Kagome followed slowly as Miroku raced downstairs. Now she heard a new voice..deep and authoritative..cutting off the questions as they stumbled from Mirokus mouth.

"They've called off the search till tomorrow, Miroku, thats all I know."

"But..it'll be so cold out there again and.." Behind Mirokus rising panic came the thud of a cabinet door, the clink of a coffee cup.

"Miroku, why the hell are you worrying about the cold? you know as well as I do that shes dead."

Kagome, fozen in the hall outside the kitchen, felt the sudden, suffocating silence..heard the gurgle of coffee being poured.

The deep voice sighed, gathering patience. "Look. You know what the coves like. The tide comes in like a flood. Even if she didnt get smashed on the rocks, any one of those underwater caves could have suckerd her down."

"Im not giving up yet."

"Fine," the voice replied. "Where's dad?"

"WIth Yura."

"Oh, hell, are _they_ here?"

There was no mistaking the disgust in the voice, and Kagome cringed back agianst the wall. She had never heard such coldness, such lack of feeling, and inexplicable stab of fear went through her. She had no desire to meet Inuyasha, but before she could leave, Inutaisho and mom rushed though the door.

Kagome, slippping in after them, got her first look at Inuyasha Takahashi and felt her heart squueeze into ther throat.

So lean and tan in just the faded jeans he wore that he seemed like a shadow lurking in the far corner of the kitchen. He tipped his coffee cup to his lips, casual and unhurried, yet from across the room Kagome knew he had seen her. He was watching her now, she could feel it...those dark, eyes in cool appraisal over the rim of his cup; the peculiar light they had, like some cat, calmly assessing his prey...

Kagome averted here eyes, but not before noticing his thick long black hair, the firm set of his jaw, the sinewy curve to his upper arms. He lowered the cup, still watching her, and she moved closer to Miroku.

Inutaisho pressed his fists to his eyes. "We have to do something-"

"Theres nothing else we can do," said Inuyasha. He poured himself another cup of coffee. "Theres nothing anyone can do. They've questioned everyone thay can think of. Nobody saw her, and knowbody knows anything. Or so they say."

"No," Inutaisho said quietly. "I cant accept that."

Inuyasha shifted and cleared his throat. "Dad..I think you're gonna have to."

Inutaisho stared back at him. "Wasnt there anything else shippou could remember ?"

"I wouldnt count on Shippou for anything," Inuyasha said acidly.

"He still says he came by to get RIn at six. and she wasnt here," Miroku broke in.

"But I was right next door," Inutaisho said. "Why didnt he tell me Rin wasnt here?"

"He did, dad," Miroku said softly. "Dont you remember? He said he yelled in at the door, but you were typing , and he didnt wat to interrupt you."

Inutaisho looked exhausted. "Yes, you're right...Im like that when im working..not always quite aware..."

Inuyasha pushed himself slowly away from the counter. "Why dont you get some sleep? If we hear anything, we'll wake you."

"Yes, I dont believe you've met-Inuyasha, this isYura and Kagome."

Inuyasha mumbled something unintelligible and kagome nodded, escaping graefully to the hall. She shook her head, trying to clear it, and started slowly upstairs, the floorboards groaning beneath her footsteps. The only upstairs light on was the one in Rins room...

RIn's...

Kagome hesitated in the doorway. Yes, Rin was everywhere, sweet and thoughtful, and somehow, very much alive..

Rubbing the sudden chill from her arms, Kagome reached into the closet for a hanger, and was startled when a peice of paper fell onto the floor. She leaned down and picked it up, puzzled smile on her faice as she read:

_Kagome_

_I know we will be great firends!_

_Love, Rin_

How special, Kagome thought...so considerate, so accepting..Trusting, Kagome decided. Rin must have been so trusting...

It was so cold in here. Kagome tried to close the window over her bed, but it wouldnt budge. Pulling harder, she felt her earring snag on her sleeve and drop down behind the headboard. Easing onto her stomach, she reached under the bed and accidently knocked her pillow on to the floor.

There beside her where her pillow had been was a small piece of folded notepaper.

Kagome smiled, propping herself on her elbos as she unfolded it. Rin must have put it there, for her to find when she went to sleep tonight...

The smile froze o n Kagome's face.

The writing blurred, and her hands began to shek.

_Kagome,_

_I think someone is going to kill me._

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter...please, please pleast review. Also i jsut want to say that everyone is human in this story. Shippou fox, just his last name. Couldnt think of nething else**


	4. Nightmare

**Discliamer: I own nothing.**

_**The Nightmare**_

It was a joke, of course. It had to be.

Kagome stared at the crumpled paper on the nightstand where she'd tossed it, and Miroku's words rang again and again in her head.

'Rin was always leaving little surprises around for everybody...'

Of course it was a joke.

Except Rin was missing, and it wasn't funny.

Kagome jumped as the door slammed downstairs. She heard Miroku in the hallway and just managed to grab the note as he came into the room.

"Im supposed to tell you to get some sleep," he said softly, smiling. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything."

"Thanks, but if you have stuff to do, go ahead."

"No, I'll be downstairs," he said again. "I'm not going anywhere."

What else could he do, Kagome thought sadly, but wait. After he'd left, she pulled the note out again, studying the handwriting. At first glance it had looked the same as the other notes but now she could see that it wasn't quite so neat...as if this note had been written in a hurry.

_What should i do?_ Everyone was so upset already, so conviced that Rin's dissapearance was a accident. And didnt Miroku say how Rin always went off by herself to think? If Kagome presented this note a whole new list of possiblities would open up. And for what? One piece of paper that might only be some fantasy in Rins mind_..."Half the time you never knew if what she said was real or imaginary."_ Just a story, probably. _But why was the note addressed to me?_

Suddenly Kagome had an idea. She would call Eri, Eri would know what to do.

Jamming the note into the pocket of her robe, she let her self out into the hallway. Downstairs the TV blared and cupboard doors slammed, so she figured Miroku was occupied, at least for a while. She wished she could just go down and ask him where the phone was, but if it was in the same room with him then he'd be able to hear everything she was saying. No, better to find an extension.

Kagome made a futile search upstairs. Frustrated, she started her way back into her room to go take a shower, when she heard the phone ring from below. Well, at least it existed _somewhere_..now if only she could get to it tomorrow without anyone hearing...

When seh finally stepped out of the shower, the house was silent. Kagome buttoned her nightgown and opened the bathroom door.

_Funny...I could have sworn i left the light on..._

Kagome froze in the unexpected blackness. She ran her palms over the wall, searching for a light switch, then took several steps forward, groping with outstretched hands through the darksness. Suppose Miroku had gone out and left her there, and that note.._that note_..still hidden in her robe, and rin's bed so empty beside her own...

Suppose Rin had come back.

Suppose Rin was even now curled up her bed..in the dark... watching her...

"Jesus..." Kagome pitched forward onto a mattress, and in a terror filled instant, clawed for the lamp, filling the room with a soft, yellow glow.

The room was the same. And she was alone.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she switched off the light again, tossed her robe across her feet, and huddled down unde the covers. She could feel her eyes drooping..the room receding around her, a soft whirl fo blackness, a soft murmur of sound...like surf...the faraway sighing of the sea...

_"Dont struggle," the voice said..."Dont..It'll be easier if you dont struggle..."_

_But the roaring came again like it aways did, that growing surge of indistinct sound and a scream, muffled, distant..._

_"Dont...struggle..."_

_But she was struggling..great gasps of air from lungs burating and that split second of that terrifying instant of realization as strength gave out and water poured in, black and sickening and endless..always endless..._

_"Dont..." the voice was fading again, only this time the face flashed, only a second , wavy in the water, eyes staring, saying her name,Kagome, kagome...dont struggle...it's so much easier if you don't struggle...as everything was fading, as her life was fading._

_"Dad! Help me! Oh, please, someone..."_

She was standing beside her bed, only she didnt remember climbing out...just standing there with her arms wrapped around herself.

She sobbed and raised her eyes in the dark, put her palms flat against the glass doors and saw the black eyes staring back in at her from the other side...she screamed.

**OK, well i hope you liked it and please review. Updating soon. Ja Ne**


	5. Lighthouse

**Discliamer: I own nothing.**

**Hola! Back to give you more. Please enjoy!**

_**Lighthouse**_

Kagome wasn't sure what happened next. In a daze, she heard screaming...doors banging and feet running, and suddenly a deep voice, furious, as the glass doors burst open.

"What the hell's going on?"

And then another voice spoke, quiet and very close, "I think she was having a nightmare..you shouldn't have scared her like that."

"Scared her! Rin's dead out there somewhere, it's nearly two in the morning, and i hear a scream...and im supposed to stop and think about not _scaring_ someone-"

"Well, you knew I was here, didn't you?"

"With no lights on? I didn't think anyone was here!"

"You should have had your key," the quiet voice said.

"You should have left the door unlocked."

The voices, the room, the light...everything was pulling back into place at last. To Kagome's surprise she waw Miroku's arm around her shoulders, and then, framed in the glass doors, she saw Inuyasha.

He looked as if he hated her.

Dropping her eyes, Kagome stammered, "Oh..I thought..."

"It's okay, he was just trying to get in. He forgot his key, and our room opens onto the deck like this one." Miroku gave her a little shake and smiled. "You must have had a nightmare. Think you can get back to sleep?"

Kagome nodded, avoiding Inuyasha's stare. "Yes, I think so. Im really sorry..I..."

"Dont worry about it. Just get some rest, okay?"

"Okay." Inuyasha was so dark there in the doorway, his eyes so black, so piercing. He made her feel trapped, as if he could see through walls and around corners and in the dark.

"Goodnight then." Miroku stood up, smiling, and she couldnt help smiling back.

"Good night. And im really sorry."

Inuyasha fastened the doors and followed his brother out of the room, but though Kagome slid right into bed again, she couldn't sleep. She lay awake long after the voices in the next room had stopped, and when the room finally began to lighten, she got up at once. Throwing on shorts and a tshirt, she crept downstairs and let herself out. If she was going to be stuck here, she might as well see what there was to do.

The beach was deserted at this early hour, Kagome walked to the water's edge and stared out over the waves. She didnt swim anymore since the accident, and a cold hatred had replaced her love of the water. Now, as she turned away from it, she fought back tears and carefully strained her eyes on the sand and it's scatterings of shells and driftwood.

A lifeguard station loomed up ahead of her, a dark skeleton against lavender daybreak. She paused for a minute, leaning her head against the stilted legs of the wooden tower, and took a deep breath, listening to the gulls, the rumble of the surf. Strange that there wasnt another soul on the whole beach..yet somehow, she felt like she wasnt alone...

Suppressing a shudder, Kagome hurried on. The sun was higher now, and as the sky paled around her, something in the distance took on sudden shape and substance, seperating itself from the gloom and stopping her midstride.

She had seen it yesterday from the jeep window. Only now it was even closer and menacing.

The craggy wall of rock rose steeply against the horizon, clawing ragged holes in the dawn, yet as she stared, Kagome began to see that it wasnt a sheer wall at all..rather a mass of sharp cliffs and oversized boulders slumped together, leaning far out into the sea. They seemed so cruel, somehow, as if deep, deep down, below the ugly scars and ridges, there was a mind, slow and cunning, aware of everything. Glancing nervously around, Kagome went on.

The beach began to disappear. One moment it was clutching the rocks, and then it tapered off, tunneling beneath a low stone overhang as the cliffs swallowed it whole. Kagome stopped uncertain. Surely there must be another pathway...

Gasping, she whirled, her eyes darting nervously over the empty beach behind her. Empty...

And yet she'd had that feeling again...that someone was watching her.

Shading her eyes, she scanned the crags above. The sun, inching steadily higher, disolved the last of the shadows and drenched the the rocks golden and Kagome squinted against the glare, she noticed one peak pulliing away from the others, standing out from the mass of rocks as if it didnt really belong. She walked closer , eyes glued to the peculiar shape, and then a smile spread over her face.

"A lighthouse!"

In the sunlight the tall tower stood out easily from its surroundings, and Kagome's eyes swept the incline, looking for a way up. She threaded her way behind the dunes, through scarse patches of tree's growing back from the sand, skirting the cliffs. To her delight she discovered a narrow road carved into the side of the cliff, leading upwards, disappearing into the jagged spears of rock. A huge iron gate had been erected across the entrance..nearly twelve feet tall, she guessed..and the gate was open. Kagome frowned and went closer. The chain that secured the gate was swinging free, the huge iron padlock unhinged. Taking a deep breath, she squeezed between the gate and the rocks and started up.

It seemed to take forever. Muscles aching, she followed the tedious twists and turns, shivering as the wind grew milder, as the rocks pressed unnaturally close. Then without any warning, the lighthouse was standing just ten feet away.

It looked like an oversized headstone.

As Kagome started up at its dingy, crumbling walls, her exitement turned to disappointment . It was dull, mottled color, rust and mildew trailing up the once white stone , and it wasnt straight as it had appeared below, but rather seemed to lean like the cliffs, out over the water.

Kagome let her eyes rove up, up to the actual light tower atop the house. It looked so spooky perched up there all alone, walls and windows disintegrated from their framework, the encircling deck rotted away to a few splintered railings. _It probably doesnt even have a floor anymore..or stairs..only ghosts.._

Giving herself a firm mental shake, Kagome walked toward the entrance. It was so isolated up here...so forgotten...She reached out toward the lighthouse door and gave it a shove.

She didnt expect it to open.

She didnt expect to fall across the threshold and sprawl facedown in the dirt and sand. Scrabbling madly to tear the sticky cobwebs from her face...

And she didnt expect the laugh.

The high, shrill, singsong laugh that rose up from the depths of the light house and echoed again and again from the face she couldnt see.

**Good lord...iv never worked so hard on a chapter before in my life..so much detail...Im proud of myself. Might just treat myself to a nice cold beer...mmmm..mmm...goood! Please review it'll make me happy :) Ja Ne for now.**


	6. Old Man

Hola! Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing. :(

_**Old Man**_

In her panic Kagome fell against the door, slamming it shut. As the laughter faded around her she jerked at the latch and stumbled out into the deserted yard. As the wind forced her back towards the road, she spun around to gaze back at the lighthouse.

The man was right behind her. With a scream, Kagome jumped back, eyes riveting helplessly at his appearance. Tattered clothes billowing from his large form. A moth eaten cap pulled down to his brown. He was dressed like a fisherman. But it was his face..sun-wrinkled and wind-withered that filled her with such loathing. Where his right eye should have been, there was a black patch. Kagome took another step back, ready to run.

"What you doing her, girl? Hmmm?"

The voice was brittle, the laugh a shrill thin cackle that left him gasping for breath.

Swallowing hard, Kagome glanced towards the road.

"You a tourist?" The one eye pinned her where she stood, and he cocked his head. "you come to swim? Or die maybe?" He chuckled at ther look of horror, shaking his head from side to side. "Funny things happen to girls swimming around here. Maybe you hear about these things, hmmm?" He took a wobbly step toward her, and Kagome realized she could'nt move at all, she was to terrified . "You think I hurt you, girl? I wont hurt you. Totosai dont hurt nobody. See?" He groaned and lowered himself to the gound, joints popping. "I sit down. Here. Cant chase you if im sitting now, can I?"

Kagome watched him, a strange curiosity slowly replacing her fear. If only he wouldn't stare at her with that eye...

"So," he said. "You come to swim?"

Kagome felt her lips move. "I dont like to swim."

"No?" His scraggly brows drew together . "But let me see... you dont live around her 'cause I never seen you. So you gotta be a tourist . And tourists come to swim."

"I dont like to swim" Kagome said. "I dont like the water."

The loud man slapped his knee laughing loudly. "Your'e funny, girl. You come to the beach and you dont like to swim. You come to the island and you dont like water! What you gonna do?" He rocked back a little, his eye a thoughtful slit as it looked her up and down. "You smart girl, not to swim, maybe. Maybe stay alive that way."

A chill snaked its way up her spine, and Kagome moved her feet, testing the ground behind her.

"But wait..I did see you before. You got off the boat yesterday."

Kagome knew if she had seen the old man yesterday she would never have forgotten that face. She frowned and saw that he was laughing at her.

"You dont see me, bit i see you." The grizzled head bobbed slowly. "Totosai see's a lot of things."

One step back. "What...what do you mean by that?

He lay one finger along his upper lip, smugly considering. "Ever hear of the ninth day, girl?"

Kagome shook her head.

When a person be drowned, his body will float on the ninth day. Except this body aint a he. And it aint never gonna have a chance to float."

Kagome stared at him , her legs turned to rubber beneath her. "I...I dont know what you're talking about. You're just trying to scare me.."

He gave a high pitched chucle. "Me? Scare a nice little girl like you? Totosai just tells the truth; you should listen to old totosai."

"I should report you!"

"Report me?" he breathed in, his face mocking. "Well, now, I see I was wrong about you, wasn't I?""

"Wrong about what?"

"I thought you be a smart girl. I thought you listen to the truth."

"You tried to scare me back there and it wasn't funny"

"You're right, girl, it wasn't." His grin faded, lips settling into a thin, serious line. "It wasnt funny. And it wasn't me."

A gust of wind whined around the lighthouse, and Kagome glanced toward the tower, suddenly cold. "What do you mean it wasnt you? I heard you! You were watching me."

For severel moments he regarded her passively, his lips finally curling into a humorless smile. "Dont believe everything you see, girl. Folks ain't always what they seem to be."

Kagome turned her back on him and started walking, fearfully conscious now of the old man lumbering to his feet.

"You remember what i say!" he shouted. "You remember , and you have a care! There's evil all around you, closing you in! It's got you! Anytime it wants you ,its got you..."

She heard him running now, stumbling after her, and in terror she veered off the road, scrambling over a ledge praying for a foothold . The cliff went almost straight down. Trying not to look, she felt her way backward over the rocks when she heard a sharp whistle above.

The old man was at the edge of the cliff, grinning down at her, his eye patch like a dark scab on the side of his face.

Gasping, Kagome scrambled down another few feet, clutching at anything she could find. She didn't even see the loose stone that turned her foot and threw her off balance. Groping wildly at an overhang of brush, she felt the weeds come loose in her hands, the searing pain as her body slid down the cliff toward the sea below.

There wasn't even time to scream.

Shutting her eyes, she braced herself for the impact, the cold water_..."anytime it wants you it's got you...got you..."_

"Iv'e got you!"

**Bwahahahah...Who do you think it is?...Well Your just gonna have to find out in the next chapter. PLEASE REVIEW. I BEG YOU**


	7. Saved

**Please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing :(**

_**Saved**_

The voice was right in her ear, and arms, strong and warm and solid, tight around her boddy...

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Kagome's eyes flew open. Inuyasha's face was just inches from her own, his body stretched out beneath hers.

"I...that man was chasing me.." Kagome struggled in his grasp, but Inuyasha's arms were like steel. With one heave he pushed her away, and she scrambled up. "I slipped..that man.."

"Dont you know you could have been killed!" He was positively seething, and Kagome stepped back, tripping over her own feet. "Nobody climbs on those rocks, you understand? Nobody! If anything bad happened to you, there wouldn't have been anyone around to help you!"

"Well..well, you were here!"

Inuyasha was fighting for control. "There's no telling what could happen this far from the main beach..you could have broken something or speared yourself on the rocks. Not to mention drowning. Or sharks."

"Sharks! But..the waters to shallow.."

"How do you know? Have you been in?"

Well..no..but..I just thought..."

"You just thought," he glowered at her. "Sharks dont need deep water to rip you apart..three feet would do them just fine."

Kaogme flushed with embarrassment. "But that man..he was coming after me and.." She was babbling and pointing at the same time, and as Inuyasha followed the direction of her arm his eyes grew even darker.

"You were up there? You went to the lighthouse?" He was incredulous. "How the hell did you get up there?"

"Through...up the road.."

"The road! Whats the matter with you, cant you read?"

"Read what?" His anger was frightening her again, and she grew defensive. "I dont know what you're talking about.." She broke off, eyes widening, as he grabbed her and began pulling her around the side of the cliff. When they finally reached the road, he pushed her so roughly towards the gate that she nearly went sprawling.

"Read it," he ordered.

Kagome looked where he pointed, and she gasped.

The gate was shut. And locked.

The sign posted on it had big, bold letters that could have been seen half a mile away.

**PRIVATE ROAD:DANGER:POSITIVELY NO TRESSPASSING**

"I..." Her lips moved, the color draining from her face. "I..that wasnt there before."

"Its always there. Its been there for the whole summer. And the summer before this one."

"Look, Im not lying! You can think what you want, but that sign wasn't there! I swear it! Someone must have.."

"What?" The dark eyes challenged her.

"Must have moved it," she finished lamely. "Look, I know it sounds stupid, but.."

"You're right. It sound's stupid."

"The sign wasn't there," Kagome snapped. "And what about that crazy old man up there who tried to chase me down the cliff? What about him spying on me, what about that? He probably took down the sign..I felt him watching me even before i went up the road."

"What crazy old man? Inuyasha sighed.

"Dont tell me im making him up, too." Kagome jerked her chin towards the lighthouse. "He was hiding up there and tried to scare me with that disgusting eye patch.."

"Oh," Inuyasha noddded, shrugging his shoulders. "Old Totosai. Sleeping off another hangover probably. You should have been scared..Maybe that'll put some sense into you."

"Dont talk to me like that," Kagome said hands clenching at her sides. "That old man could have taken down the sign, and you know it. Anyone could have taken it down."

Inuyasha went over to the sign and grabbed the legth of chain woven neatly betwent the metal rails. "See this? This is to keep nosy people like you out of here. The gate stays locked all the time. Only lifeguards have keys to it." He pulled the ring from his pocket, separating one heavy blue key from all the others.

Kagome stared at him, at the padlock anchoring the chain, at the empty road on the other side of the gate. "It wasn't locked," she mumbled. "I didnt imagine it.."

"Okay. A mirage, right? Or you walked right through it , maybe?" For several long moments Inuyasha stared at her, a muscle working in his jaw. "Okay," he said at last. "Come with me."

Kagome shrank away as he grabbed her arm again and began dragging her back around the cliff. When they reached the overhang where the beach disappeared, Inuyasha ducked under, leaving her no choice but to go with him. There was a brief moment of darkness as they wound through a low stone tunnel, but almost immediately they went up an incline out into the sun.

They were on a smaller beach, penned by towering cliffs on three sides, the ocean on the other. Only this beach was different from the one she had seen that morning, Kagome stared at the jagged rocks sticking out of the water along the shore, at the spikes of stone edging her in all around, all black and coated with lime. The wind screamed around them, beating the low tide into a frenzied boil. And those awful, razor edged rocks . As black as death.

Kagome's stomack tightened with some sense of imminent danger. The water was too close here..to wild..and those boats, racing slowly on the waves beyond the first outpost of sawtoothed rocks..those boats just heaving up and down..up and down..

"What are they doing out there?" Kagome wanted to run from them. "There to close to the rocks. Shouldnt you warn them?"

Inuyasha looked down at her, his face hard. "They're looking for Rin. They found her things on that ledge over there."

Kagome didnt want to look, yet felt her eyes following the point of his finger,. The ledge was only partway up the cliff, easily accessible, and surrounded by water that appeared fairly shallow.

"Its not so deep now," Inuyasha went on, and Kagome jumped as if he had read her mind. "You could wade in it as long as the current deosnt slam you up against those rocks. But later..when the tide comes in..." His voice dropped , and Kagome stepped away from him. "Should I go on?" He asked in mock politeness.

"I dont like it here," Kagome forced some authority into her voice that she didnt feel. "Im going back."

"Suit yourself. Its not fun to think about. Being trapped here."

Kagome turned on her heel and fought down the urge to run. Inuyasha had done this to her on purpose, and she didnt know what he was trying to prove anyway. He didnt seem to be taking his sisters death very hard, and he certrainly didnt seem to like her. Kagome wondered if Inuyasha cared about anything. She ducked through the tunnel, falling gratefully out into the daylight at the other end. She didnt know if he was following or not as she hurried back along the beach. To her relief there were other people out now, the sounds of distant shouting and laughter. Kagome quickened her pace. She wouldn't let Inuyasha upset her; she'd just try to stay out of his way and...

"Look out!"

The dog came out of nowhere and as it leaned its huge paws on Kagome's shoulders, she heard shouting from all directions.

**WELL THATS IT. PLEASE REVIEW...:)**


	8. Introductions

**Disclaimer: I own Nothing.**

_**Introduction**_

"Sango, you know the rules. No dogs on the beach!"

"I know the rules, Inuyasha Takahashi! She broke her chain! What do you want me to do?"

"Hey...It's ok. She wont hurt you."

As three people converged on her all at once, Kagome managed to free herself from the dog's embrace.

"Gosh, Im really sorry, I hope Kirara didn't scare you..**(Yes...i did decide to use that name for Sango's dog)**Oh! Are you Kagome? Im Sango Slayer..I heard you were here for a visit." The brown haired girl paused for a breath then pumped Kagome's hand, a smile lighting up her face. Kagome smiled back, but before she could reasure her, Sango rushed on "Shippou here told me he met you..now we're all practically neighbors...only some of us aren't as sociable as other's." She glared at Inuyasha, who didn't seem at all preturbed.

Kagome looked into shippou's green eyes, her smile widening "Hi!"

"You should keep better company." Shippou grinned. "Having fun?"

Kagome had forgotten all about Inuyasha, but he spoke up and moved from behind her.

"She seems to think that one death's not enouph exitement around here."

Sango gasped, and the air seemed to grow electrically still. "God Inuyasha, that's a horrible thing to say."

Inuyasha gazed past Sango at Shippou, who was looking at the ground. "Iv'e noticed Shippou doesn't seem to torn up about anything-"

"Knock it off, Inuyasha." Shippou said quietly.

"That's not fair Inuyasha, and you know-" Sango began, but Shippou cut her off.

"I was only meeting Rin to talk, Not to run off with her."

"Don't argue with him Shippou, he's just upset."

"I know what you think of me, Inuyasha," Shippou's voice lowered and he fixed his gaze on Inuyasha's. "I know you dont like me, and I really dont care. But if your looking for a suspect, the Sherrif's already given me the third degree, and im still out on the streets. And in case you haven't noticed, Im not even handcuffed!"

"Not that it would matter," Inuyasha retorted. "Your father'd just buy your way out of it."

Shippou made a sudden move, but Sango thrust herself between them, her hands on Shippou;s chest.

"Stop it! Your just upset Inuyasha..anybody would be..We're sorry...We're all sorry...So dont say anything else. You either, Shippou, just keep quiet!"

Kagome saw Inuyasha's eyes, the livid set of his face, and a shiver of apprehension went through her as he slowly, slowly drew himself back.

"Get your danm dog off the beach," he muttered.

They watched him walk away, then Shippou cupped his hands to his mouth, throwing a shout straight at Inuyasha's back.

"She can do whatever she wannts when im around...I _own this beach!_

**I hope you enjoyed it. I know it's kind of short but please review...Ill update soon**


	9. Stories

**Disclaimer: I own nothing :(**

_**LUG14: Im not going to answer any questions. lol. That's what the stories for. :) Im glad you are enjoying it.**_

_**purduepup: Thank you. I try :) Quite the mystery isn't it? Yes...lol. Im glad your enjoying it.**_

_**Stories**_

"Not the greatest introduction," Sango said ruefully. "Im really sorry about that."

"It's not your fault," Kagome said throwing her a tight smile." I think im starting to get use to him."

"Yea, well good luck with that."

They both looked at eachother and burst out lauphing. Shippou looked down at his watch.

"Look Iv'e got to run...Im on duty. Just ignore him Kagome, that's what we do." He tipped his baseball cap." Ladies...I'll trust you'll have the pleasure of my company again?"

"If your lucky," Sango retorted. He gave them a jaunty wave and jogged off.

"So," Sango was all smiles again. "How about some breakfast, I know a great place."

"Well..." Kagome shaded her eyes and peered off through the gathering crowds. " I didnt tell anyone i was leaving and I really dont know the situation at the house."

"I understand," Sango's face was sympathetic, and Kagome felt comfortably drawn to her. "It must be awful for you, showing up in the middle of everything. Sure you dont want to go?"

She looked so beseeching that Kagome laughed and gave in." To tell you the truth, Im not ready to go back to the cottage. Inuyasha doesn't like us being there..I think."

"Oh..Inuyasha." Sango nodded and wistled to her dog. " He's like that about everything. He's not very popular around here."

"What was that all about between him and Shippou?" She fell into step with Sango along the shore.

"Who ever knows with inuyasha?" Sango shook her head. "Shippou was suppose to meet Rin that night, so I guess inuyasha somehow thinks he could solve the mystery." Sango steerer her away from the beach through the tree's. "Come on, the diners this way."

Kagome staggerd up the hillside, stopping to catch her breath as she saw the old building with it's _WEST DINER_ sign.

"Fancy huh?" Sango swept her long hair back from her face and waiting for Kagome to catch up. "The busiest part of the beach is further down, by your cottage. That's where everyone really hangs out. But this place doesnt have many tourists. No offence." Winking mischeviously, Sango tied Kirara to a pole and pulled Kagome inside.

"Arent you afraid to leave her?" Kagome asked as Sango nudged her into a booth by the window.

"Kagome, it's safe on this island, its positively boring." Sango gave the menu a glance. "We get some important people here , like inutaisho, of course. Artists, writers. People who rent for the summer. The other's are tourists...they only come for the day."

Kagome unfolded her napkin. "How come the media isn't beating down Inutaisho's door? People ust know whats happened and he's well known."

"Yea, thats where Shippou's father comes in. Shippou's grandmother was Kaede Shikon if that tells you anything."

"Kaede Shikon?" Kagome stared at her , totally baffled, and Sango leaned across the table, her face animated.

_"Shikon Island."_

"Oh!" Kagomes eyes widened.

Sango ndodded pleased with herself and leaned back. "Well, I cant actually remember which grandmother, but it was one of them. The island's been in the family for generations."

"So when he said he owned the beach, he wasn't kidding." Kagome let it all sink in, shaking her haed. "Is that why Inuyasha doesn't like him?"

"Well, lets face it, Shippou's not very discreet about his position around here. Like I was saying about his father..Inutaisho didnt want reporters around so Mr. Shikon took care of it. He's got money and power, and what he sais goes. Shippou usually get's what he wants. " Sango greeted the waitress and ordered coffee and rolls for two. I dont think Inuyasha liked Shippou hanging around with Rin. She had a crush on him."

"Maybe he's just an overprotective big brother." Kagome suggested.

Sango shook her head. "They were all stuck in boarding schools most of the year. And summers were spent with relatives and friends 'cause Inutaisho never had the time. That's what Shippou told me, anyway." Sango sat back as the waitress placed a steaming mug of coffee in front of her. "Inutaisho farmed them all out after their mother died..they never really saw each other while they were growing up."

"How does Shippou know all this?"

"He and Miroku have roomed together at school the last few years. They're best friends...swim team, honors, all that good stuff."

"Maybe thats when the friction with Inuyasha and Shippou started.."

"Uhh-uh." Sango shook her head and reached for the plate between them. "Inuyasha wasn't at the same school. Shippou didn't even know Miroku had a brother..Miroku never mentioned him."

"That's weird..."

"Yeah, especially' cause they're only a year apart, so it's funny that they were always in different schools."

Kagome chewed slowly on a lump of cinnamon roll. "Maybe they never got along, and thats why they were seperated."

Sango frowned, staring thoughfuly at her cup. "It's funny about Inuyasha.. I've never heard anyone say anything about 's almost like they dont know anything about him. Or they do know something but it's horrible and they're trying to keep it a secret." Kagome shifted uncomfortably in her seat and Sango grinned. "Your probably right; They probably just didnt get 's so sneaky and Miroku is so sweet. Girl's always mob the lifegaurds, but Miroku's so shy **(In my story he is..hehe), **Not like Shippou." Sango flushed.

"Is Shippou...your boyfriend?"

There was a mild hopelessness in Sango's eyes. "We've grown up together but I dont think he's noticed that im not the girl right down the street anymore."

"Maybe you should go out with Inuyasha," Kagome deadpanned. "Maybe Shippou will notice that."

Sango laughed and reached for another roll. "Inuyasha's so creepy. Like last summer he just showed up on the island. I dont even thing Miroku knew he was coiming."

"So Miroku was here?"

"Yeah, he and Shippou have been lifeguards here for the past few years. Inuaysha stayed someplace down the beach and kept to himself. I never saw him much..at least not till after the drowning."

"Drowning?" Kagome's ears pricked up, her skin going cold.

"It was really sad," Sango's voice lowered, "especially 'cause Kikyo was a friend of ours. She was a lifegaurd too, she drowned trying to rescue someone."

Kagome stared hard at the table, the roll like arock in the pit of her somach. "How horrible..did the other person drown, too?" She looked up but Sango was gazing out the window, a puzzled expression on her face.

"That's the strange thing," Sango said slowly. "There's a phone at each lifeguard station. When any of them has an emergency they take their phone off the hook..that alerts the other lifegaurds and the paramedics."

"Did...didn't anybody come?"

"Oh, they came allright . But by the time Shippou and Miroku got to her, she was alerady dead. And there wasn't anyone in the water."

"What ...do you mean?"

"I mean nobody else was out there. Nobody ever washed up on the beach, and no one was ever reported missing. Kikyo was all alone."

Kagome reached mechanically for her coffee cup, for some bit of leftover warmth to quell the chill she felt inside.

"It was just about time for the beach to close, and there weren't many people around," Sango sighed. "Just some kids on their way home."

"Well, surely they saw something?"

"They said they heard someone yelling for help, and saw splashing around in the water,like someone was in trouble, but it was too far away to make out. Anyway, nobody believed them. Evereyone said it was probably just seagulls and when nothing ever turned up well..."

Kagome closed her yes, not wanting to here anymore.

"That's when Inuyasha became a lifeguard, he took over Kikyo's job." Sango shook her head with a derisive laugh. "I cant believe i'd forgotten about all that. It was just about this time last year."

**Ok. Just to keep everyone un-confused lol. SHippou took his mother's name. But his father's last name is Shikon. ALso Kikyo and Kaede are not sister's. And i do whati want with Miroku :). Im sorry if it was bit boring. I also apoligize if anything's misspelled...I dont have spell check :( but please review. Ciao**


	10. Discovered

**DISCLAIMER:I OWN NOTHING :(**

**LUG14: Thanks, i try :P**

**Please enjoy the chapter. :)**

_**Discovered**_

"Mom!"

Kagome paused, listening, relieved when she heard a door open upstairs and the rapid thud of feet down the hall.

"Kagome...where on earth have you been? I've had Miroku looking everywhere for you, but he had to go to work..."

"Mom, Im fine, I just went for a walk. Has anyone heard anything?"

She shook her head, running one hand through her disheveled hair. "No, honey, nothing. I sure could use some coffee-want to join me?"

Kagome poured the coffee, trying to think where to start. Sango...the old man at the lighthouse..her feeling of being watched on the beach..._the note_...With everything else that had happened that morning, it had been pushed completely from her mind. Now she frowned, wondering what to do, and lowered herself into a chair.

"You remember the guy on the boat yesterday? I saw him on the beach this morning, and this girl..Sango..is a friend of his and Miroku's. We went and had some breakfast and talked."

"That's nice," she said distractidly. "Kagome, they're calling off the search after today. They're convinced Rin fell and drowned, and they dont think they'll find her."

"Oh, Mom..."

"Inutaisho wants me to stay."

"I understand."

"Now look, you can call Eri and can still go with her folks to the mountains and-"

"Mom, I cant leave now," she scooted forward, her voice urgent. "I just wouldn't feel right about it."

Ms. Higurashi sighed and pulled her close in a hug, "Do you think you can manage on your own? Try to have a good time in spite of everything? I know it won't be much of a vacation, and Inutaisho thinks you might be better off..."

"Tell him not to worry. I'm really okay. I just wish I could help."

"We all wish that, honey. But no one can do anything because no one _knows_ anything. There's no proof..." She lowered her voice again and it trembled. "You just cant give up, can you, if there's no proof...I mean, it's not like your father..."

Her voice faded, and Kagome stared down at her mother's hands twisting together on the tablecloth. She could feel her own chest tightening, and she got up quickly. She couldnt tell her mom about the note-not about any of it.

Kagome jumped as the kitchen door flew open, relaxing again when she saw Miroku.

"Oh, so their you are." He looked relieved.

"Im sorry Miroku, She came in a few minutes ago. I should have let you know." She pulled out a chair and motioned for him to sit. He shook his head.

"I have to get back. I just wanted to make sure she got back ok. How's dad?"

"He finally dozed off about a half an hour ago.I was going to let him sleep a while, but he made me promise to wake him for the search-"

"Dont do that," Miroku shook his head. "Im going up there now. Their finishing the last stretch this morning, so Shippou told me he'd close down East Beach and cover for me."

"Let us come," Ms. Higurashi said quickly. "We can do something-"

"No, you need sleep, too," Miroku said kindly. "I'd rather you just locked the door and tried to rest."

"But what if someone comes by or tries to call?" Mom argued. "If anyones heard anything-"

"I doubt anyone would call except maybe the sheriff..and he'll be with us. It's and unlisted nmber anyway." Miroku took a pad off the counter and wrote on it. "Here...just in case you need it. We wouldnt have a phone at all, only dad needs to keep in touch with his agent. It's the same number for both houses."

"Both?"

"Well, when the phone rings, it rings here and next door, too. Thats so one of us will hear it if Dad's locked away with his typewriter going. Except we're usually not around , and dad always misses his calls."

Kagome smiled and took the paper he handed to her. Miroku backed towards the door again and paused.

"The search wont last much longer-maybe you've heard. They covered the entire island and gone over the cove several times."

Kagome felt a knot in her wanted to say someithing, but Miroku was gone.

"Sango's coming by to take me sightseeing," Kagome mumbled, but she knew her mother hadn't heard. She slipped quietly outside, turning her face to the sun, taking in deep gulps of fresh, warm air.

**XXXXXX**

"Trying to get a tan on your throat?" Sango ran up laughing and Kagome swung around ,her spirits lifting.

"Girl, am I glad to see you!"

"Need to get away, huh?" Sango nodded understandingly, slipped an arm through Kagome's and began a to steer her toward the beach. "I saw Miroku headed the other way. Things dont look good, do they?"

Kagome shook her head. "Miroku's with the search party. He doesnt thingk they'll be looking much longer."

"It's suck a rotten shame. And Miroku is such a sweet heart, I cant stand to see him sad like this."

"Was Rin a good friend of yours?

"Not really; she only came this summer. I never got the impression she was..." Sango cast her a meaningful look..."Uh...you know...too bright?"

"No kidding ?She sounded to me like she was really sweet."

"Oh, sweet, yes. Always smiling. Always something nice to say to everyone. Kind of like MIroku, really..only, you know, slow. Like things took a long time to get through to her. But her brothers were really nice to her."

"Even Inuyasha?"

"Yea, its funny, huh? Even inuyasha. Come to think of it," Sango screwed up her face puzzling, "I never heard him speak a mean word . He was always really patient...like maybe he realized she couldnt grasp things as fast as everyone else."

Kagome felt sad. "She must have been pretty special...No wonder there's such a void in the family."

"She seemed to really like both of them," Sango added, staring into the blue sky as if the past was playing there like an old movie. "But she hung out with Miroku more that Inuyasha. All this summer she's been a sort of permanent fixture around him. Like when he was working West Beach, she was never very far form his station."

"Did he mind?"

"Never seemed to..and you know how some guys would handle that! I mean, can you picture Shippou putting up with a tagalong little sister?" Sango rolled her eyes. "Thats funny, isnt it...they grew up never knowing each other, and when they were finally together, they really seemed to get along."

"Maybe..." Kagome stopped to shake a rock from her sandal, "if she was a little slow, they felt sorry for her."

"Maybe." Sango mulled this over, then added. "That makes it even worse , you know. . Thats what I keep thinking about. That she was kind of innocent and naive..and nobody was there to save her."

Kagome shut her eyes, a flood of unwanted memories pounding through her brain. No...I will not think of them...

"Hey, are you okay?" Sango shook her gently by the elbow, and Kagome forced a smile.

"Yes, something just got in my eyes."

"Well, you better watch were you're going..the beach is really busy."

Kagome couldn't believe the change since her walk that morning. Now the shoreline was absolutely jammed with people.

"Where did they all come from?" she asked, amazed, and Sango giggled.

"End of summerers. Trying to squeeze in all their last flings before school starts. The beach'll be empty again when the boat pulls out this evening."

"What happens then? The beach just closes down?"

"Well, its never really closed, not literally, but its swim at your own ristk after six. I mean, the lifegaurds cant just live there twenty four hours a day!"

"Dont any of the islanders ever use their own beach?"

"Oh, sure, but not that many." They swerved around a volleybnall game. "Everyone's been warned about the risks after dark, and really, there's not many kids on the island anymore. They've all grown up and left. Alot of them go the the mainland to work or they're off on exotic vacations."

"And what bout you?

Sango threw her a mischevious grin. "My folk's own the fanciest restuarant on Shinkon. And am I a lady of leisure. No way! Unfortunatly my folks also believe in the old fashioned values of hard work and earning your keep! This just happens to be my day off. Tomorrow mom and dad jet off to london, and where willl I be? Waitressing and bussing tables."

Kagome laughed and hurried with Sango through the crowds. They had been going in the opposite direction from Kagome's route that morning, and this part of the beach was like a whole different world. Instead of quiet cottages on the rise overlooking the sand ,there was a hodgepodge of food stands, game booths, souvenir tents, bright blue awnings and striped umbrellas, all jammed together with swimsuited bodies and glistening tans. Floating in the salty air was an overpowering mixture of hot dogs, suntan oil, hamburgers and grilled onlions, dried shells and seaweed, and hot, hot sun. Laughing and shouting mingled with the rush and break of the waves, blaring radios, the happy screams of swimmers and though it all came the hollow boom of a voice: "You're out to far! Get closer to shore!"

"Look, there's Shippou!" Sango tugged Kagome's sleeve, and they stopped beside his tower. "Hey, Lifegaurd! How's the weather up there?"

"Hey, ladies!" He grinned down at them, showing perfect white teeth. "Just the usual routine, lets see...oh, id say i've saved about two hundred lives in the last hour."

"And broken how many hearts?" Sango tossed back.

"You cut me to the quick," Shippou tried to look wounded "Can I help it if they all lust after me? Can iIeven blame them?"

"Dreamer," Sango aimed a punch, but he dodged.

"And where are you two headed?"

"Thought id take her on a tour of the island."

"How grand. That should take all of ten fascinating minutes." He bent over and winked at Kagome ."You understand, of course, that seeing me was the highlight of the tour. Everything from now on is simply-"

"Garbage," Sango finished smugly. "Dont pay any attention to him..he's a perfect example fo what too much sun can do to the brian."

"Is that any way to talk to someone who might one day save your-" Shippou broke off, and gave a sharp blast on his whistle. "I said come back!"

"They really respect you shippou," Sango said, staightfaced. "Im very impressed." She started to pull Kagome away, but Shippou aimed his megaphone down over their heads.

"Now ear this! Are you coming over tonight?"

"Why would we want to do that?" Sango clamped her hands over her ears, and Shippou smiled

"Because the servants are away, and I wanna play. Come on, be a sport, we need some bright moments in our lives. Happiness, joy, laughter."

"Sounds pretty boring," Sango faked a yawn.

"You'll have me all to yourself," Shippou reminded her. "Without all these jealous females around."

Sango tried to hide it, but Kagome saw the quick flush on her heeks. "Shippou , you really are to much. And why would I ever want you to myself..you know I dont like used merchandise."

"But im like fine leather," he deadapanned. "The more im handled, the better I get."

"The more stuck on yourself you get," Sango retorted.

"Sango, Sango," Shippou siad, his tone patronizing. "Now you know you dont mean that. You know how boring tonight will be anyway, all alone in your house with nothing to do."

"So what?"

"So I think you'll come." Shippou looked as if he had won a secret battle. "And anyway, you didnt let me finish. I was to gonna get Miroku there. Get his mind off all this horror-movie stuff."

"Oh, Shippou," Sango looked uncertain. " I thinks its really nice of you trying to cheer him up, but do you really think he'll feel like coming? And what about Inuyasha?"

Shippou heaved a heavy sigh. "I'll even ask Inuyasha. Out of the goodness of my heart." He stared down at them for a moment, his impression turning serious. "Im worred about Miroku, Sango. He just wont let himself believe that shes gone."

"And what do you think?" Kagome spoke for the first time, and they both looked at her as if they'd forgotten she was there.

Shippou sighed again and balanced the megaphone on his knee. "I think she drowned. I think she was wandering around the cove where she shouldn't have been and slipped, the tide came in. I dont want to be pesimist or anything, but it's happened before, people taking chances on the beach after dark. We've just been lucky and found them, thats all."

Kagome looked startled, staring at Shippou while Sango tried to pull her away.

"Come on, Kagome, miles to go before we eat." Her tone was light, but Kagome didnt miss its undercurrent of concern.

"So ill see you later, right?" Shippou stretched, trying to catch Sango's parting remark as the girls took off through the crowds.

"If you're lucky!" Sango smiled companionably at Kagome and once again linked arms with her. "He never changes. Impossible since the day he was born. Oh well, im stupid for being so determined, I guess."

"Did you go away to school to?"

Sango shook her hair back from her eyes. "No such luck. I go to school on the mainland. Shippou went there, too, till he had to go away."

Kaogme looked up. "_Had_ to?"

"Well, he's hardly turned out to be the model son," Sango chuckled. "His father finally got tired of bailing him out of throuble and thought boarding school would help straighten him out. It didnt, of course, he kept flunking out. But when your as rich as Shippou, people can be pursuaded to make exceptions. Mr. Shikon paid this last school a bundle, just so they would keep him and he would graduate."

"How on earth do you know that?"

"Shippou told me. But just between you and me, I think he was actually glad to stay at this school ' cause Miroku was there."

They slowed down, the crowds thinning out at last, and Kagome cast Sango a sidelong glance.

"So what happens now-now that shippou's graduated?

Sango scuffed her shoes through the sand, laughing. "If you're referring to the ongoing saga of Shippou and Sango, your guess is as good as mine. Oh, who am i kdding? Of course I'd love for him to come to his senses and reallize just how right for him I am. Goodness, we know eachother too well..no one else could put up with us!"

"What ...about Miroku?" Kagome tryed to sound casual, but Sango looked at her knowingly. "I mean..is he... involved with anyone?"

Sango smiled. "Miroku's too shy to get involved with anyone. Of course," she added slyley, "there's always a first time for everyone." She gave Kagome's arm a yank and raised a head to where a yellow shuttle bus was just loading passengers. "Come on, this is where we get on!"

For the next few hours. Sango gave Kagome such an insiders view of the island that she fell totally in love with it. It wasn't just the beach and the village and the festive atmosphere that she found so fascinating...it was the friendly attitude everyone seemed to have. Sango made sure Kagome visited every store, and afterwards they stopped in at Sango's restuarant and got icecream to eat on their way back to the beach. As they walked, Sango recalled hilarious moments from her and Shippou's childhoods, making Kagome laugh till she hurt. For the first time, she felt glad to be there, but as they came out through some tree's onto a rocky embankment, she saw the cliffs towering close by, and her mood changed abruptly. Suddenly it didn't seem right, she and Sango having such a wonderful time, while somewhere...forgotten...RIn was...

"What did Shippou mean back their?" Kagome interrupted, and Sango gave her a strange look.

"About what?"

"About people taking chances on the beach after dark, and you being lucky and finding them."

"Oh. That." Sango sighed and climbed the rocks, obviously following some invisible path that she had taken many times before. "It happens somtimes, even when people are warned. Its like I told you, they just can't be on duty all the time. People think they're safe ' cause they're only going in for a minute, just to wade or take a quick dip..."

In spite of the hot sun, Kagome shivered. "And they-"

"Drown," Sango finished. "The tieds are so strong...so diffferent all around the island. People just get pulled out before they know it-and there's no one around to help."

Kagome reached out to steady herself, but Sango was a few paces ahead and didnt see.

"We'e had two drownings already this summer. It's not something we publicize-I mean, the last thing we want is for people to be afraid of this place."

"That's...horrible," Kagome murmmered. She felt weak, and Sango was getting farther away.

"But like I said, its lucky they were found, They were both girls about our age..vacationing on the island. Im glad I didn't find them; I think I'd go nuts."

Kagome took a deep breath, a hesitant step. The rocks were hard to climb, but Sango didnt seem to be having any trouble. "Who did find them?"

"Oh, you wouldn't know him," Sango was getting farther and farther away. "His name is Totosai. He's an old fisherman who hangs around the island-really creepy with an eye patch."

Kagome stumbled, caught herself, trudged on. "I...I do know him.." She wasnt sure if she had spoken aloud or only inside her head, but Sango was calling back.

"There's a really neat veiw from up here, if I dont have a heart attack first. You can see all the cliffs and both beaches, and Shippou's house is just over there-there's a road, but it's usually locked up."

"Road? Sango , are we going to the lighthouse?" Kagome stopped , but Sango continued to climb.

"Sure! Dont you want see it?"

"I thought we weren't supposed to-"

"We're not." Sango grinned sheepishly back over her shoulder. "But I love it up here, its so private and the view is the best. Come on!"

Sighing, Kagome started after her again, already feeling little ripples of apprehension through her body. She didnt want to run into Totosai agian...or Inuyasha...

"Here we are! Up you go! Sango gave her a boost, and Kagome stumbled onto solid ground at last, gasping for breath. "It's a shortcut," Sango said apologetically, putting her arm around Kagome, steering her forward. "I should have put you in training first...sorry." She didnt seem to notice how Kagome clung to her as they went closer to the lighthouse. "Its something, huh?" Sango tilted her head, gazing up at the imposing structure. "It was built in 1824. The last lighhouse keeper lived her for over forty years."

Kagome raised her eyes reluctantly, her fingers clamping onto Sango's arm. Again it was there -_again_-that feeling of being watched...

"They just let it go," Sango said sadly."After all its years of warning people away from the rocks..of course it didnt always help. Lots of ships went down in the cove. Lots fo folks still think the lighthouse is haunted...That all the souls of the drowned walk in the tower..and cry...and try to lure new souls to their deaths..."

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force the fear away..the cry of the wind..the unseen eyes that watched...watched...

"Maybe it was the souls," Sango whispered, "Masybe Rin heard them calling her and-"

"Come on," Kagome said firmly. She fought down the mounting terrror and pulled Sango along behind her, hurrying, not really seeing cleary, tugging her back down the embankment as she tried to keep her balance. She heard Sango stumbling along behind her, the wall of the rocks, weaving unsteadily beneath her feet-but not the thing-she didnt see the awful thing sticking out of the grass, clawing at the air as if it were still alive, clawing at her ankle like a last hope-

She didnt see the thing until she fell, and Sango fell beside her, until she heard Sango scream, and she rolled over, panicky, and reached out to grab Sango's hand.

Only it wasn't Sango's had she grabbed.

And it wasn't Sango's eyes staring back at her, empty...dead.

**Please don't kill me *Run's around the desk and ducks* Im almost positive i just gave myself carpole Tunnel Syndrome. :( ahh well..I hope you enjoyed, ill update again asap. Ciao for now**


	11. The Body

**LUG14: LOL. Sorry leave you hanging. Here's dessert!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. But Inuyasha is all mine in my dreams :)**

_**The Body**_

Kagome didnt remember getting back down the cliff. It was as if some automatic pilot had taken over and flung them both onto the beach and set their legs in motion. She was vaguely aware of running, of Sango's shout, of people looking at them as if they'd lost their minds, but it wasn't until she heard a horn honking that she came fully to her senses.

"Shippou! Shipppou! Thank God-Shippou!" It was Sango's shrill voice that shattered the last of Kagome's stupor, and she saw the jeep slamming to a halt on the sand, and Sango throwing herself on Shippou as crowds gathered to listen as Sango babbled. "Shippou-up there-you've got to come-Shippou-"

He was half out of the jeep with his arms on her shoulders. "Sango, snap out of it. Stop it now, tell me what's wrong-"

"Oh, Shippou-up there-"

_"Where?"_

"There-there-" Sango made a blubbering sound, and Shippou shoved her into the jeep.

The crowd was growing, people attracted by the shouts, some straining to look up the beach others starting to walk in that direction.

"Come on, Kagome, get in."

They took off in a spray of sand and Kagome turned her face towards the wind, glad for the stinging shock against her cheeks. Sango was still jabbering in the front beside Shippou, from time to time he reached over and patted her, nodding, his face anxious but baffled. As the curious dwindled away behind them, Kagome could see the cliffs getting closer, and she pressed her fists into her stomach, trying to stop the awful dread.

They rolled to a stop beside the locked gate, and Shippou jumped out. "Okay. Where?"

"Up there. On the other side. It was in some weeds." Sango shuddered as Kagome got out and raised her eyes slowly to the lighthosue. "Shouldn't you call for help?"

"Not till I'm sure I really need it." Shippou pulled at the chain around his neck, his expression annoyed. "Terrific-I've lost my key again."

"You guys are always losing your keys!" Sango's voice rose. "_Shippou, hurry!"_

"No, wait-here it is-"Shippou took a blue key from his pocket, fiddled with the lock, and unwound the chain. Then he put his hands on his hips, scanning the face of the large rocks.

"you don't believe me," Sango said, hurt.

"I didn't say that at all. AllI said was-"

"Maybe you should at least call Inuyasha," Sango insisted. "Call someone, Shippou, _please!"_

"Inuyasha's with his dad on the search party, and Miroku's due back any second," Shippou mumbled, eyes still studying the rocks above. "And what were you two doing up there anyway? You know better, Sango; you know how dangerous that place is."

"Dont lecture me Shippou!" Sango shouted. He whipped around, and her face was pale and pleading. "Shippou, there's really somebody up there-you've got to help her-you've got-"

"You can't help her. I think she's dead." Kagome bit her lower lip and saw the others staring at her.

Shippou let out a low whistle. "Are you sure?"

"Maybe just unconscious-" Sango began, but Kagome shook her head and walked to the gate.

"No, her eyes were...empty. She was dead."

"You...you mean you really found a body up there?" Shippou was staring at them in total astonishment, and they nodded in unishon. "Was it Rin?" Shippou asked at last.

The girls exchanged desperate looks, then Sango shut her eyes, swallowing hard. "I dont know-it happened so fast-"

"You dont know? What do you mean you dont know-"

"We didn't really see her face!" Sango broke in, panicky. "We just tripped over her-Shippou-_get up there!"_

"Okay, okay, just dont get hysterical on me. You wait here."

"No, we-"

"Wait here, Sango, I mean it!"

They watched helplessly as Shippou disappeared up the hill. Kagome wasn't sure just how far down the cliff her and Sango had gone, how long it would take before Shippou finally found that awful thing sprawled in the weeds. She could feel her pulse hammering, and when she looked over at Sango, her friend looked miserably back at her.

"Whats taking him so long?" Sango groaned. "I thought he'd be hollering by now."

"Maybe he's in shock," Kagome murmured.

"Or throwing up. Thats what I feel like doing, just throwing up." Sango covered her face with her hands, her voice shaking. "Oh God, Kagome...if it was Rin...I really didn't see her face...if it is...if it-"

"Come on, I'm going for help-no,wait, look, their he is-" As they hurried over to meet him, Kagome tried to get a glimpse of his face, steeling herself for the worst. But it wasn't grief distorting his face. It was anger.

"I gues you think you're pretty damn cute, huh, you two?" He nodded at them, his lips pressed into a sneer. "Pretty funny stuff, calling me away from the beach like that. What is this, Scare the Lifeguard Day?"

Sango looked flabbergasted. "Shippou, what are you talking about?"

"Oh, come off it, Sango-okay, so I fell for your stupid joke. Dumb me, ha, ha. You just better hope nobody drowned back there while you've had me on this wild goose chase." Shippou shook his head and slammed the gate back into place. "Now get out of here. You can walk back."

"Shippou-"

"Hey, wait a minute!" Kagome ran up catching his arm, her eyes wide with disbelief "This isnt a joke. Believe me, there is nothing funny about it-there's a girl lying up there! She was dead. Didn't you see her body?"

"No, and you didnt, either."

"Well, then...you must have looked in the wrong place," Sango was babbling again, grabbing Shippou's shoulders, shaking him. "You must have stepped right over her...or maybe she rolled down the hill! You shook the ground and she rolled right down!"

"Rolled...right..." Shippou pushed Sango away from him. "Sango, you are a typical, illogical, emotional female. Rolled down the hill!" he snorted and climbed back into the jeep. "There is nobody up there! Dead or alive! If you don't believe me, go see for yourself."

"No!" Sango looked stricken at the prospect of meeting up with a corpse for the second time, but then she saw the look on his face. "All right, we will go back! We'll show you!"

"You will not. You're not supposed to go up there and you know it. If you go back, I'll have you arrested for trespassing."

"Then come with us. I dare you!"

"Oh. Great, Sango. Terrific. You really do want me to lose my job. No way. I've listened to you enough for one day." Shippou gunned the motor and the jeep made a sharp half turn. "You're crazy, Sango. A crazy, lamebrain female if there ever was one."

"But I saw her, too!" Kagome's voice rang out, firm and clear over Sango's protests, and Shippou hesitated. "She was up there, and I fell over her, and her face was only this far from mine! I saw her! We both couldn't have made her up!"

Shippou pondered this, his green eyes lazily studying her face. He chuckled. "Okay, I'll give you this one. You guy's are pretty convincing. But you better watch out-I'll get you back one way or another."

"Jerk!" Sango shouted as the jeep sped off down the beach. "Didn't I tell you he could be a real ass? And a chauvinist? Sometimes he makes me so mad! Kagome, where are you going?"

But Kagome was already climbing up over the gate and didn't stop to answer. By the time she reached the top of the cliff she was sweaty and out of breath, but she forced herself down the other side and began to search. Within seconds Sango ran up, gasping, behind her.

"Kagome-"

"It's not here, Sango. Shippou wasn't playing around; it's not here anywhere."

"But that's crazy, it must be! Something like that just couldn't disappear! Let's look for it! Oh God, what am I saying? I must be out of my mind; I jsut said let's look for a _dead body_! Oh, Kaogme-"

"It's no use, it just isn't here." Kagome shook her head and plopped down on the ground. The lighthouse rose above them, watchful and silent, and Kagme stared at it, thoroughly shaken.

Sango dropped down beside her. "What are we going to do? Call the Sherrif?"

Kagome ripped a handful of weeds from between the rocks, "and tell him what?"

"You're right. He'd think we're crazy too. We can't prove a thing. And Sheriff Myoga hates practical jokes-he'd just throw us in jail and look at us." She grew silent for several long minutes, then glanced uncertainly at Kagome."We did see it didn't we? We didn't imagine it?"

"Things like this only happen in movies," Kagome grumbled, "not in real life. Oh, I wish you'd seen her face!"

"You do? Why? So I could have nightmares till I die?" Sango was instantly contrite. "Sorry. I wouldn't wish this on anybody, especially you. You think it might have been Rin? Can you remember anything about her face?"

Again Kagome saw those wide open eyes, staring and vacent, fill with fear. "No," she squeezed her own eyes shut, forcing the memory away. "Just her eyes. The rest of her face was hidden in the grass."

"Then we're back to nothing," Sango sighed. She shaded her eyes and stared off towards the ocean. "I guess I can't really blame Shippou for being mad. For thinking it was just some kind of sick joke. It is pretty hard to believe. I mean, this whole thing with Rin disappearing and all-he's got to be thinking about that horrible stuff at school. Those Tokyo murders."

Kagome, scanning the slant of the cliff as it meandered to the sea, only half heard her. "What?"

"Oh, those coed killings. Don't tell me you never heard about the Tokyo murders. It was all over the news."

This time Kagome sat up and leaned forward.

"I do remember something about that. Atleast I think I boarding school wasn't it? I dont remember the details."

"Well, that was Shippou's school. Named after the town, brookfield. Where he and Miroku were roomates." Sango wrinkled her nose and tilted her face into the breeze. "Shippou said it got really scary around there for a while, cops swarming everywhere you looked. Girls just started disappearing."

"How horrible. Did he know any of them?"

"He dated some of them." She gave her wry smile. "He told me about them, of course. Said they were all really nice girls-not the kind who'd just walk away with anybody or hop in some stranger's car. He was really upset about it when he and Miroku were home for spring break. No clues, no leads, nothing. Those girls vanished into this air, and no one could find them. They still haven't found them."

Kagome felt a shiver work it's way up he spine. "And they never had any leads at all? Not a single suspect?"

"No, and I guess they thought of everything, too. Even checked out the local mental hospital to make sure none of the patients had escaped. A mental hospital in the same town as the school, I find that extrememly appropriate somehow."

Kagome laughed but it sounded strangely hollow. Her eyes moved again, restlessly, over the rocks, the wind worn path, the scrawny plants.

"You seem awfully nervous," Sango said uneasly.

"I am."

"Me too. Im scaring myself. Let's go."

Sango led the way up again so she was several yards ahead when Kagome let out a yell.

"Don't do that!" Sango scrambled back, watching dubiously as Kagome squatted down. "I almost killed myself! What is it? Oh, God, I can't look-"

"Come on, Sango, it's not a body." Kagome moved her hands in a wide circle along the grass. "But it's been here, dont you see? Look at all this grass all flat like this-it's been here! We didn't imagin it, Sango. It was right here in this exact spot!"

Sango stared down at the vague imprint on the ground, her face pale and blank. "Then where is it? If it was here, where did it go?"

"I don't know," Kagome retorted grimly. "But unless it got up all by itself, something-or someone-had to move it."

They stared at each other in silence , horrible possibliities washing over them in icy waves. At last Sango sank to her knees and clamped her cold fingers onto Kagome's arm.

"What...what if it was Rin?"

"What if it wasn't?"

A mocking wind howled up over the edge of the cliff. Far below, the ocean hurled itself furiously against the jagged rocks.

Kagome raised her eyes and stared at the lighthouse, its broken shell resolute and guarded.

"Well, whoever it was," Kagome said softly,"she sure as hell didn't drown way up here."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_**The lifeguard leaned his head against the wall, trembling.**_

_**It was strange, he thought, how sometimes now he couldn't even remember what he'd done...how sometimes in the morning now he'd have to leave the house very early to make sure if he had had some dream or if it had all been real...**_

_**This last one had really scared him.**_

_**He'd picked her out special-a runaway with no real family who cared about her, no friends, no one to miss her or report her gone-and he'd been so careful, so careful to do it right, do it fast...**_

_**And they had found her-Sango and Kagome had found her, even while he was racing to get back there because he'd finally rememberd...and they found her before he could do anything about it...**_

_**He didn't understand how he could have forgotten and left her there.**_

_**He had really known then, what it was like to be afraid.**_

_**But he wasn't afraid now.**_

_**Now he was safe because she was here with him, hidden where no one would ever find any of them again.**_

_**He wasn't trembling anymore.**_

_**He was laughing.**_

**That's all folks. Until next time. Please review. Ciao for now :)**


	12. Phonecalls

**Disclaimer: I own nothing :(**

**LUG14: Gotta say, your one of my favorite reviewers...teehee...And you will find out who it is very soon enouph :)**

**purduepup: You also are one of my favorite reviewers :)**

_**Phonecalls**_

"I can't believe you're giving up."

"She's gone, Miroku. Why can't you accept it?"

Kagome could hear them arguing even before she got to the door. Sighing, she sat down on the porch step and stared out through the trees to the empty beach visible through the branches. It had been a long, long day, and she was drained.

"You're so damn unfeeling. You're just letting her go."

"Look, they've turned the whole island upside down. They've used dogs and nets and boats and helicopters. What do you think, that I'm not _upset? _That I don't _care? _That I don't lay awake nights trying to think of one more thing we haven't thought of? You think I don't worry about Dad? I'm more worried than you'll ever know, Miroku-than you could ever _dream!_ And not just worried about Rin-"

Kagome's mind jostled back to the present. The voices inside the house had gotten louder, and she squirmed uncomfortably, feeling like an eavesdropper but not knowing where else to go.

"About what, then? What's going on with you anyway?"

"Look...Miroku..." Inuyasha's voice grew calmer, struggling for patience. His silhouette glided by the window. "Look..I know this is hard...the not knowing. And we might never know. I mean...we have to be prepared for that."

"Rin was such a good swimmer."

"Okay, Miroku, Rin was a great swimmer! Rin could have been the best swimmer in the world-that still doesn't mean she could have saved herself."

The silence stretched out, endless minutes. Kagome could feel the pain, the tension.

"I'm saying," Inuyasha spoke quietly, "that no on will ever see her alive again"

"And there's nothing else we could do?" Miroku faltered.

A pause, then "nothing."

"So...that's it."

Kagome leaned over, resting her forhead on her knees. She heard the screen door creak open behind her, heard bare feet, caught the expressonless glance of Inuyasha as he went by without speaking. She watched as he disappeared through the trees, then turned expectently as Miroku came out onto the porch. He stared at her several seconds , then smiled sadly. "You don't have to stay out here. It's your house too."

"I didn't want to intrude," she said, making room on the step beside her for him.

He sat down and offered her the pepsi he was drinking, taking a sip when she shook her head. "No intrusion. I'm just trying to drown my sorrows." He winced. "Wow...poor choice of words." Kagome smiled, but Miroku added, "He's not telling me something."

"Inuyasha?" She looked up, surprised.

Miroku nodded and set the can down in the grass. "There's something on his mind he's not saying. Not that we're all that close, as you've probably noticed by now-but I can tell he's keeping something back."

"What do you think it is?"

"I think..." Miroku cast her a sidelong glance, "it has something to do with the way Rin died."

Kagome stared at him, unsure of how much to ask. At last she said, "What could he know about it?"

Miroku lowered his eyes, too a deep breath. "He says she's dead. He's sure of it." His eyes raised slowly, blue and clear and plaintive, drawing hers with their desperation. "How can he be so sure? How can he be so positive about her being dead unless he knows something the rest of us don't know?"

There was something about the way he said it, the way his voice went suddenly hollow-Kagome felt an unexpected shudder and gazed at him, unsettled. There was _fear_ in his voice, she suddenly realized-fear-unmistakeable and real and cold-and as their eyes held, she heard him speak again, as from a long way off.

"You don't know Inuyasha," he whispered, "Nobody knows Inuyasha..._nobody_..."

"Miroku!"

Kagome jumped as Inutaisho came around from the corner of the cottage, and Miroku got up.

"Over here, Dad-"

"Where's Inuyasha?" Inutaisho looked from one to the other.

"On the beach somewhere; I dont know." Miroku made a vague gesture as Inutaisho stared.

"Well, go find him will you? We need to talk and I want you both here." Inutaisho hesitated, "I'm really sorry Kagome. That you had to be here for all of this."

Kagome opened her mouth to reasure him, but Miroku pulled her to her feet. "It's okay, he can't hear you anyways. Look, why don't you go on in? You'll have the house to yourself for a while."

Despite her troubled curiousity over their discussion, she nodded and watched him go off through the trees. A shower and a nap would feel wonderful after everything that had happened today-but first she would call Eri and tell her about Rin's note. She still felt guilty keeping it to herself if it really did mean something. But if it didnt-if it was only going to cause more worry and heartbreak- _but that body on the cliff...we didnt imagine that...and all that talk about girls disappearing..._

Kagome went into the kitchen and found the phone. As she waited for her call to go through her fingers groped through her pocket for the slip of paper Miroku gave her that morning with the number on it. Kagome counted the rings-four-seven-and just about to give up when the familiar voice answered.

"Eri! It's me!-"

"Kagome!" A shriek, and then static, while Eri rambled on about things Kagome coundnt hear.

"Eri, be quiet for a minute, will you? I have something important to tell you-"

"A matter of life and death?"

Kagome's stomach fluttered. "Could be. Look,Eri-"

"Kagome, my dad's having a fit out there-we're just leaving for the cabin and-"

"You've got to listen to me! There's this note-"

"Kagome, I can hardly hear you! What are you on, a twelve-party line? There's this echo-"

"No, it's a private number-Eri-"

"In a minute, Dad! He's really yelling-Kagome, can I call you when we get back?"

"But that'll be two weeks! Eri, listen to me, the girl I'm staying with thinks someone's going to kill her-_thought _someone was going to kill her, and-"

"You're not making any sense. I-Dad! I said in a minute! It's Kagome-"

"Only she's missing now-Eri, can you hear me? She's missng and she might be dead, and I hid the note in my robe and I don't know if I should show it to anyone-"

"What? There's that echo, I can hardly hear you, you sound like you're in a tunnel or something-"

"Eri-Eri-please-"

_"Okay, I'm coming!_ Kagome, he's ready to kill me-you know how he gets. Look, I'll call you when I get back."

"But Eri, It's an unlisted number and-_Eri!"_ Kagome wailed as the connection broke. First one click, then another. She stared down at the phone then slammed it back into place. She leaned her forehead against the wall. Now what? Eri hadn't heard a word she said and she was no better off than she'd been before. Sighing, she dragged herself up the stairs and into the bedroom.

She locked the connecting door between the boys' room and the bathroom and began to undress. The shower felt wonderful on her sore muscles. She hadn't realized just how keyed up she'd been. Rinsing shampoo from her hair, she turned her face up, letting the drops dance across her cheeks, massaging the pain behind her eyelids.

She reached up an shut off the faucet.

The moment she shut the faucet off she thought she heard something moving in her room.

Naked and dripping, Kagome stood there, too terrified to move. Silence hung around her, even more horrible than the sound had been. Whatever-whoever-it was, knew that she had heard. Knew that she was in here right now. Listening. Alone.

Kagome's heart lodged in her throat, making her feel sick. The silence was crushing her, the awful silence punctuated now by the thud of her racing pulse, her blood pounding ice through her veins.

_Kagome, I think someone is going to kill me..._

Her hands were shaking so badly she could hardly control them. Curling her fingers around the edge of the shower curtain, she tried to pull it back without making any noise. The faucet dripped slowly into the tub. Loud plops echoing throughout the bathroom. There was no sound at all from her bedroom.

Explanations tumbled through her head like leaves in a windstorm. Maybe Inuyasha had come back, looking for Miroku, unaware that Miroku was out looking for him. Or Miroku had knocked and she hadn't heard, and he'd come in trying to find her. Or mom...or Inutaisho... or nobody..._maybe I imagined it...it was the plumbing or something ouside or just the house settling and there's absolutely nothing out there..._

Groping, her hands found the towel, and she wrapped it around herself, inching cautiously toward the door. She couldnt hear anything now on the other side-nothing to suggest that anything might be wrong...

Swallowing over the sharp tang of fear, Kagome shakily calld into her bedroom, "Miroku, is that you?"

Silence answered her, deep and endless. Slowly...slowly... she cracked open the door.

The room was just as she'd left it. With a sigh of relief, Kagome moved out into the middle of the floor, her eyes scanning every surface. Her purse-right there on the desk where she'd left it-her sandles, kicked back under the hem of the bedspread...She smiled at herself and bent down to pick up her robe-it must have slid off the end of the bed when she'd tossed it from the closet. Her knee's were still shaking, and she suddenly realized how chlly she felt. She slipped out of the towel and into the robe, easing herself down on Rin's bed, stretching her legs out it front of her. Her toes pointed into the rug.

The cold shock of water went through her instantly-the spongy feel of wet fabric against her skin-

She jerked her feet back with a cry and stared in horror at the braided rug between the beds...The rug was soaked with seperate little puddles...wet spots the size of feet...and lying there, coiled like some dead snake, was a slimy tangle of seaweed in a damp smear of sand...

Kagome jumped up onto the bed, hugging her robe tight around her, her lips forming the cries for help that no on could here...

_Someone_ had been in her room.

And maybe...even now...that someone was still in the house.

**DUN DUN DUN...JUST REMEMBER FOLKS. NOTHING IS WHAT IT MAY SEEM...TAKE THAT AS A HINT MY FELLOW READERS...ANYWAYS PLEASE REVIEW. CIAO FOR NOW :)**


	13. Paranoid

**So i was able to add a chapter. It's pretty short, but i don't have enouph time to write a longer one. I promise to make up for it in the next chapter. Sorry bout that. Please enjoy, and pretty please review...Ill take anything.**

**Just want everyone to knwo that this story is very OOC. Some of the characters have different personalities than in the show. For example Shippou, and Miroku. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. :(**

_**Paranoid**_

Kagome hadn't expected it to be so dark. Now as she jerked her clothes on and raced out of the house, she was shocked at the heavy curtain of dusk which greeted her.

Night was rolling in fast with the fog, blurring the outlines of the trees, blotting out the beach but not the persistent sound of the ocean. As Kagome hurried across the yard she could hear the water off behind her, its roar like mocking laughter-_look at Kagome run!-look at Kagome run_!-She covered her ears and concentrated instead on reaching the pale glow of lights in Inutaisho's kitchen windows.

Shes started up the back stairs and stretched out her arm for the door.

She never saw the hand come out of the darkness. Not until the gnarled old fingers clasped around her wrist and jerked her backward.

"You won't scream girl, 'cause I been waiting for you..." The voice was liquidy, thick with age and phlegm. "I been waiting for you all this time-"

"Let me go!" Kagome shoved at him, but only succeeding in losing her balance. She heard him chuckle as she went down.

"I been waiting to tell you a thing or two, so you best listen to old Totosai, you hear me? You best have a care, girl; I see what goes on. And I know things, too, don't think I don't. Just like you know things. You're a smart girl. Like that other one was smart. Only now she's dead." He threw back his head and cackled. From the jaundiced light of the windows, Kagome could see his yellow teeth and the drool on his bristly chin. "You'll hear it soon...the voice of the dead...it always comes before the squall..."

"Get away from me or _I'll scream...I mean it!" _She scrambled to her knees, crying out as the porch light suddenly burst on, the door flinging open

"Have a care!" Totosai hissed, and in the split second it took Kagome to stand up, he was gone.

"What's going on out there? You all right?"

Kagome grabbed for the person beside her before she even realized it was Inuyasha. He was squinting off into the dark, searching the shadows.

"That horrible old man...he.."

"Who? Totosai?"

"He's following me!"

Inuyasha gave her a strange look, shaking his head. " He wasn't following you-he was using the phone."

"What?"

"He came to the door a while ago and asked to use our phone-look, I don't have time for your paranoia right now. There's an emergency on the beach and I've gotta get down there."

He brushed past her, and Kagome's voice followed him, fearfully.

"What's happened?"

Inuyasha stopped...turned to face her. "A drowning. We...someone has to go look at the body..."

**I know, I know, very short...Again, I promise I'll make it up with the next chapter..But i want some reviews first before i continue. Ja Ne for now...PLEASE REVIEW**


	14. Crazy

**Hola! Back with another chapter. Thank you for the reviews :) They keep me going. Now after this chapter im going to try and add another to Running...Im just a bit stuck on that one. Im still trying to figure things out. ANyways. On with the show...*Clears throat* excuse me...On with the story! :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing :(**

_**Crazy**_

Kagome felt suddenly weak. She sank down onto the steps, her head in her hands, as Inuyasha disappeared through the trees. Oh, please...don't let it be Rin...

It seemed like he was gone forever. Kagome sat there, too sick at heart to go inside, knowing everyone would be in there, waiting and afraid. Only when she heard Inuyasha running across the yard again could she finally force herself through the door, unable to take the news alone.

They were all there-Inutaisho and mom, Miroku and Shippou-all staring with strangely resolved faces.

"It wasn't her, " Inuyasha said. "It was a boating accident-some girl tangled in the anchor line...but it wasn't Rin."

Inutaisho covered his face. his voice choked. "No more. I can't take any more of this..."

"Dad," Miroku whispered, but Inutaisho looked up shaking his head.

"No...no more. We can't go on like this. We have to stop."

Kagome stole a look at Miroku and looked away again; she couldn't bear the anguish on his face.

"We will...of course...keep hoping. Always...hoping. But its's time to get on with our lives, son." Inutaisho took Miroku's hand. "We have to go on. Rin would want us to."

Kagome saw the room blurring around her. She was aware of the movement, chairs scaping across the floor, feet shuffling, doors opening and closing-But it wasn't until she felt a hand on her shoulder that she came back to them.

"You're coming with us arent you?" Shippou asked.

Kagome twisted in her chair and looked up at him. "Shippou," she said slowly, 'I think someone was just in my room."

"A lover!" he grinned. "Good for you, Kagome, smuggling someone in here right under our noses, you little-"

"Shippou, I'm serious." Kagome stared at him, her face drawn. "I couldnt say anything in front of Inutaisho, but-"

"Hey, you're really serious, aren't you?"

"Yes i'm serious. I heard something in my room-and when I came out of the shower, there were footprints on the bedroom rug-"

"What's going on?" Miroku came up, leaned on the back of Kagome's chair as he bent down to listen. "What about your room"

Before Kagome could answer, Shippou pulled on Miroku's arm and headed for the door. "Come on-Kagome think's someone was just in her room-"

"What?" Miroku looked stunned, glancing back at her as Shippou pulled him through the door. Kagome turned around and saw Inuyasha watching her. A second later he, too, followed the others out the door. Kagome got up to go with them but as she came out into the yard, she heard Miroku's voice, clear and authoritive..

"Kagome, you stay there. We'll be back."

She shouldn't have said anything-yet, she had heard something-she couldn't have imagined it-not after finding the wet footprints on the rug...Kagome looked around nervously and leaned against the door. She wished they would hurry.

They were coming back now; she could here them laughing softly and mumbling to eachother as they made their way through the shadows across the yard. No doubt Shippou was telling them about her and Sango's grisly discovery thet day, and now the boys were finding everything emmenselly funny. She knew by their faces that they hadn't found anything-but she stood her ground firmly, meeting their looks straight on.

"Kagome-"

"I know. You didn't find anything."

"Hey, relax, it was probably just that body you and Sango met on the cliff today!" Shippou gave her a playful hug, but she stiffened and pulled away, seeing those wide, lifeless eyes again in the grass.

"I don't care what you say, Shippou-I heard something just now. And how do you explain those footprints?"

"What footprints?" Shippou chuckled. I didn't see any-"

"I saw them," Miroku broke in,"on the rug, right"? At her grateful nod he smiled. "I saw them. Really. They were there."

"Okay, you saw them. So who put them there?" Shippou asked.

She probably did it herself," Inuyasha said matter-of factly, shouldering past Kagome into the kitchen. "She probably just tracked water in from the beach-"

"You're crazy'" Kagome shot back. He whirlled on her with a look that stopped her cold. " If I tracked the water in, why wasn't there any in the hall or on the stairs?"

"There was water in the hall and on the stairs," Shippou said, deadpan. "You tracked in the whole damn ocean!"

"You're lying," Kagome whispered. Her eyes fell on Miroku, wide and pleading.

"Shippou," Miroku sighed, and then to Kaogme, "He's lying. But there were footprints from the tub across the floor and onto the rug. You...probably did it coming out of the shower."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. As she stared at three pairs of expectant eyes, she could feel herself going rigid, could hear her voice going thin.

"I didn't make the footprints on the rug! They were already there when I came out of the bathroom!"

Miroku looked uncomfortable, he dropped his eyes, his brow creased with an anxious frown, and Shippou smacked Kagome on the back with a loud guffaw.

"Your'e just like Sango-Two crazy females! You really expect us to believe that? Look here, Kagome, if you didn't do it, then who did? I mean who would wander around the island and sneak into girls bedrooms? I mean, really, was anything missing?"

Kagome shook her head reluctantly, "well..."

"Well was there?"

"Well...no."

"Okay, Nothing stolen. Nothing ransacked. Nothing vandalized. No murder weapon on the pillow, no suspicious note slipped under the door-"

Kagome looked up, shocked at his words,but Shippou didn't notice and went on.

"Nobody was in your room, Kagome. All this disappearing stuff is making you paranoid."

"Miroku?" She turned to him, her eyes beseeching ,and he reached out and took her arm.

"Kagome, it could have been a lot of things...I believe you heard something, but Shippou's right-thing's like that just dont happen on this island"

"You imagined it," Shippou dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "It wasn't real. Maybe it was another of your weird dreams, huh?"

"Maybe it was a ghost," Inuyasha said, glancing at Miroku. "Maybe it was Rin coming back to see who was in her room."

The sudden silence was painful. After severel seconds Inuyasha turned and walked towards Shippou's car. Shippou coughed uneasily. Miroku sat down on the step, looking disgusted.

"Don't listen to him, Kagome. He's just in his usual good humor."

"Come on, I think we all need to get out of here for a while. "Shippou took Kagome's elbow, but she shook him off.

"I think I'll stay here, thank you."

"Oh, boy," Shippou rolled his eyes, "hurt feelings. Okay, I apoligize, now that make you feel any better ? I apoligize for not believing your weird stories. You've been around Sango for one day, and already her wild imagination is rubbing off on you."

Miroku got up and went inside. "Ill tell dad we're going."

"Going where?" Kagome souunded icey, and Shippou put on a downcast face.

"To my house. You remember."

"Shippou, I hardly thing this is the time for a party-"

"Oh ye of little faith, just rust ole Shippou here a minute, okay?" He paused, then leaned into her face, his expression sincere. "Look, Miroku's my best friend. I just want to get him away from all this for a while. Nothing wild and crazy-just good friends and some positive environment for a change."

Kagome regarded him primly, and he gave her a hesitant smile.

"Okay, I'm sorry for what I said. If Miroku believes you heard something , that's good enough for me. But what or who, I dont know. Pesonally, I think everyone's jumpy-seeing spooks in every corner. I know it must be tough for you, being in Rin's room and all-that's why I think it was probably just the wind, and you were so scared coming out of the shower, you dont remember tracking the water."

"But the seaweed-how do you explain that?"

"What seaweed?"

"Oh, Shippou, don't tell me you didn't see it-"

Kagome, I swear, I dont know anything about any seaweed. Footprints, yes. Water. yes. Seaweed, no."

"But the others must have seen it, didn't they say anything-"

"Look, Kagome," Shippou said, takign a deep breath, letting it out slowly, "all I know is that we got in the house and everyone went off in a different directions to see if anyone was hiding in there. You'll have to ask them about your seaweed. When I got to your room, I didn't see any seaweed .And I didn't smell any saltwater either." He reached out, gently squeezed her shoulder. "Now come on and go with us, what do you say? I know it'd make Miroku happy if you would."

Kagome didn't know what to think anymore. What he said made a lot more sense than her own fears. After all, hadn't Sango told her how safe the island was? And why would anyone have just walk into the cottage knowing the boys were probably around somewhere? She was tired, and she was jumpy-and more than anything she didn't feel like argueing anymore.

**Ahhh..well that's it for now. Please review. :)**


	15. panic

**Hiya Folks! Here's another chapter. Please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

_**Panic**_

"What your doing for Miroku," she said at last, "I think it's nice."

"Of course it's nice, I'm a nice guy." Laughing, he gave her a hug and pulled her to the jeep, taking a flying leap into the front while she hesitated by the door.

"Coming?"

She hadn't heard Miroku come up behind her, and now she felt his hands on her shoulders.

"Oh...I don't think I should," she turned to smile up at him and felt his chin brush the top of her head.

"Why not?"

"Well," she said akwardly, "This is for all your friends and everything, and-"

"You're my friend." His smile was gentle, and he tapped one finger on her arm. "Aren't you?"

Their eyes held for a long moment.

Flushing, she looked down and stammered, "Well...yes...I'm your friend."

"I'm glad."

The horn blared and SHippou shouted, "Hey, you two, climb aboard! Sango's meeting us there with the food, and I'm starved!"

"You're always starved," Miroku shook his head and boosted Kagome into the beackseat of the jeep, ,where she squeezed down beside Inuyasha.

"Okay, everyone, hang on!" Shippou called , and the next minute the jeep lurched forward, throwing Kagome helplessly against her seatmate. Inuyasha shrugged her off as if she didn't exist, and they didn't speak a word to eachother the ramainder of the ride.

Sango had told her how rich Shippou's family was, But Kagome wasn't half prepared for his house. While the boys went out to the swimming poool. Sango gave her a tour of all three floors.

"Do you think we should be snooping around like this?" Kagome hesitated on the landing, mesmerized by the chandeliers, the fine art, the walls, the sculpture lining the carpeted hallways. "What will his parents say?

"Not a thing. His dad's on the mainland tonight. Charity ball. His mother's in Paris with her new boyfriend. And anyway, who's snooping? It's practically my house, too." Sango giggled, and kagome followed eagerly at her heels.

When they got to Shippou's bedroom, all Kagome could do was stare. The place looked more like an apartment-a two-room suite with couches and chairs, and categorized wall of records and tapes, an elaborate stereo system, plush carpeting, framed prints, a paneled library and solid oak desk.

"Hang on, I smell the pizza burning-be right back!"

Before Kagome could reply, Sango vanished downstairs, so Kagome went on in, her eyes roaming the room in disbelief. Another wall was encased in glass and held trophies-swimming trophies-dozens of them . Kagome walked over and stared, then turned her attention to still another wall covered with certificates and awards all neatly framed and bearing Shippou's name. Standing on tiptoe, she tried to read the top row when a voice from behind made her whirl.

"It's only me," Shippou grinned. "Go right ahead. Far be it from me to interrupt adoration."

Kagome couldn't help but smile. "It'd take me years to admire everything. I've never seen so much stuff. All for swimming?"

"Yea." Shipou threw himself down across his waterbed. "And a few lifesaving awards for good measure."

"You mean you really have saved somebody?"

"Three somebodies, if you please."

"You're quite the hero."

"Aren't I though?" His grin widened. "You know of some body that needs saving?"

Kagome tried not to blush and turned back to the trophies. "Your dad must be so proud of you."

There was no answer, and after a few seconds, Kagome looked back at him, surpized by the scowl on his face.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"Not at all. Let me escort you personally around my humble abode." He jumped up again, his mood changed so abruptly that Kagome regarded him in amazement. He linked his arm though hers and began to walk her around the room. "My kitchen, Madame. Very helpful on the cooks night out. You see here the microwave, the refrigerater tucked descreetly beneath my dining table? Ah, yes, and here we have my wardrobe-" he flung open folding doors to reveal a closet as big as Kagome's living room at home-" all color coordinated and custom designed, and-as you can see by my torn t-shirt-positively useles.. Now! Here we have the bath-sunken tub, seperate shower, gold fuacets, and-watch your step, my dear-out onto this very private deck, a Jacuzzi of my very own. Impressed? No? Well, well, come right this way and see my darkroom..and my personal computer system...and my VCR...and-"

"And there's not going to be any food left if we don't get downstairs!" Sango's voice came authoritiively from the hall, and Kagome laughed as Shippou looked askance.

"My God, she caught us! Now it's blackmail for sure!" He swung an arm around each of them while Sango tried to look disapproving. "All right, ladies, to the pool it is!"

Kagome stood for a moment on the wide patio, surveying the gigantinc swimming pool banked with flowers and ferns, the wooden gazebo, the lattice-covered porch with its bar and stereo and barbecue pit large enough to roast a whole cow. She felt like the newest member of a country club.

"Aren't you eating?"

Kagome looked up as Miroku handed her a paper plate of food. She hadn't realized till now how really hungry she was, and she took the plate, smiling.

"Thanks. It looks great."

"And you look tired." He studied her, worry in his blue eyes. "Feel like sitting down?"

"That would be nice."

He led her to a small table and pulled his chair closer to hers.

"I...I've been trying to think of how to thank you."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Thank me for what?"

"For last night. For telling me you were there."

"Miroku, I didn't do anything."

A hint of a smile touched his lips. "You cared. Thank you for caring."

She looked down self-consciously, suddenly intent on her pizza. "I just know how it feels to lose someone, that's all."

There was muffled conversation behind them, Shippou and Sango argueing beneath the blare of the music.

"I'm sorry," Miroku said. "I'm sorry that you've ever had to lose someone." He didn't pry, and Kagome blinked back unseen tears.

"So what willl you do now?"

"Drink till I pass out?" It sounded so out of character coming from him that Kagome started to laugh.

A shy smile hovered on his lips once more, as if he were secretly pleased. "I like it when you laugh. You should do it more often."

Flusterd, Kagome toyed with her plastic fork, not knowing what to say.

"I know how you feel," Miroku went on. "People always feel that way when something bad happens. They want things to be normal again. They want the bad part to be over so they can get back to their nice, safe routines. But they keep thinking about the victim-about how she can't ever be happy again..." His voice dropped. "And then they feel guilty wanting to get on with their lives." He sighed and pushed back his uneaten food. "Right now, all i want to do is be here. Be anyhere but home. Thinking of anything but Rin."

Kagome nodded, but didn't trust her voice to speak.

"I think Inuyasha's right," Miroku reflected. "The not knowing, that's the worst. 'Cause then, everyday of your life you think maybe today you'll hear something. Maybe today she'll turn up."

"But you can't do that," Kagome said, surprising even herself. "You can't live your life for something that might never happen. 'Cause then one day your own life is over, and all you've done is live for someone else."

Miroku watched her, his face thoughtful. There was a light in his eyes, soft, like the sound of his voice, and his sweet, sad smile.

"Feel like taking a walk?"

"All right."

He took her arm, guiding her to a tall gate in the wall at the back of the yard.

"Where are we going?"

"The beach is right out here." He was looking back over his shoulder and didn't notice the way she suddenly tensed. "They're still arguing. They won't even miss us."

"What about Inuyasha?"

"I don't see him. Their fighting probably drove him away. It's what they do best together, fighting."

"She really likes him, you know."

"I know." He held the gate and she went ahead of him, stopping almost at once, unprepared for the sudden surge of darkness.

"It's okay," Miroku said softly. "The moon's just behind a cloud. You'll be able to see the whole beach in a second." He reached for her hand, and she held onto him gratefully as he led the way across the sand. The wind was balm and slow, sighing in over the black eternity of ocean., and the sky sputtered for just an instant, then slowly flooded with light.

Even to Kagome it was beautiful. As the moon shone down between trails of clouds, the beach shimmered around them...the sand, the rocks, glowing like burnished silver. Far beneath a sprinkling of stars the shoreline gleamed wetly as water tumbled in and out, burbling like a sleepy child at play. Kagome watched it all, felt its power and beauty and wished, _wished_, that she could love it..that the fears would never come to her again.

"Well, what do you thinlk?" Miroku asked soflty, squeezing her fingers.

WIthout hesitation Kagome said, "I think it's wonderful. And terrifying. I always used to want to live on the beach."

His glance was quizzical. "And now?"

"No," she said quietly, and they kept walking, side by side.

After a while Miroku gave her hand a little shake. "Well, this is how the other half lives."

"The other half, meaning you?" she teased and was rewarded by another almost-smile.

"I was talking about Shippou," Miroku corrected her. "And all these other mansions we're walking by."

"Are we tresspassing?"

"The beach is private, but technically we're Shippou's guests. And don't forget, I am the lifeguard." His tone had taken on a new relaxing sound that Kagome liked, she smiled up at him.

"And do you enjoy it? Being a lifeguard?"

He shrugged. "It's a job. I get to meet lots of people-"

"Girls."

"Yeah, okay, girls." His smile was almost embarrassed. "It's certainly not as glamourous as the movies make it. I don't go around rescuing damsels in destress very often, and yes, I have gotten sunburn, and no, most of the time people don't pay attention when I yell at them, so I have to go out and chase them back in."

"Which beach is your favorite?"

"This one. It's a lot calmer. Not so many accidents waiting to happen. You feel like a swim?"

Without even thinking, Kagome stopped, jerking her hand free from his. "I ...no. Not tonight."

"It's really warm," Miroku assured her. Going to the water's edge he filled his hands from a burst of spray and let the water trickle onto the sand at his feet.

"I don't have a suit."

"I'm sure there's one back at the house you can use. I'll just go back and-"

"No!" Kagome triied to control the anxiety in her voice. "No, I mean I don't want to go swimming. I hate it." She ducked her head, hoping he hadn't seen the panic on her face and was disconcerted at the feel of his hand beneath her chin, his fingers tilting her face upwards towards his.

"Kagome, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. You don't have to swim. You don't have to do anything you dont want to."

She struggled to tear her eyes away , so conscious now of his touch upon her skin, the way he was looking at her, all kindness and concern.

"It's not that," she whispered.

"It must be something. You seem pretty upset."

She hadn't reallized she was trembling. Now she mustered all her resolve and backed away, forcing a smile.

"I just don't like the water, you know? Like some people never like spinach or going to the dentist or taking their finals?"

"Did something happen when you were little to make you so afraid?" he asked gently.

_Two years ago...two endless years of remembering_..."I haven't always been afraid."

"But you're afraid now."

Kagome nodded. "But you should go in and swim if you want to. I'll stay here and watch."

"No. Let's go back to the house."

"No, really!" Kagome's voice rose. "Ill feel like I've spoiled it for you-"

"Kagome, don't be silly. I can swim anytime I want to."

"Please, Miroku! I dont what to be afraid of it!"

She did'nt know why she said it; the words had tumbled out as if eager to be free of her once and for all. Miroku gave her a strange look, and then slowly began to pull his sweatshirt up over his head.

"All right. I'll go in. You'll see it's really nice. Warm and soothing. Like a massage after a hard day's work."

She stood there, watching him, as he kicked his jeans away and straightened the band of his swim trunks.

"I'll go in," he said again, "and then you can come closer."

"No...I'll sit here."

"Just to the edge. Right here. See? The water doesn't even come up this far." Miroku backed away from her , very slowly, his eyes never leaving her face. She took one cautious step, balked , and crosssed her arms tightly over her chest, shaking her head at him.

"No-I don't want to get my clothes all wet-I'll just watch you. I can see fine from-"

"You've got shorts on, and that practically counts as a bathing suit. Just think of it as going wading," Miroku chuckled. "In a giantt bathtub." He was in the water now, surf bubbling gently up over his calves, and he reached out his hand to her. "Come on. Hold onto me."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can. I won't let go of you. We'll just stand here and give you time to get used to it."

Kagome felt her feet moving, carrying her forward as if they belonged to someone else. There was a roaring in her head that hadn't been there a moment ago.

"A little more," Miroku urged. "That's right-"

She felt the sand desolve beneath her feet, like the earth melting away, and the steady warmth of Miroku's fingers, tightening over her own.

"See? Nothing to it." His eyes were so blue, even in the moonlight she could see them, and they were gently, gazing at her encouragingly. In spite of herself she gave a nervous laugh, and he laughed with her, drawing her closer, so that once more she was tucked protectively beneath his chin. "Okay?" he whispered.

She drew a ragged breath, felt his arms go around her as one wave, larger than the others, dashed recklessly against their legs, thowing her against his chest.

She nodded, not quite trusting herself to speak. The dread was still there, the awful feeling that something bad would happen if she challenged her fears too far. Btu with the dread there was also something else-a racing in her heart, a warmth spreading though her at the feel of Miroku's bare skin against her cheek.

"I know what it's like to be afraid," Miroku whispered.

She looked up at him, so sorry for all he'd been through, and he read the sympathy in her eyes.

"It's all right." His lips moved against her hair, her forehead. Closing her eyes, hesitant upon her cheek. Kagome didn't realize she'd been holding her breath until she felt him pull back form her, heard him laugh, almost guitily. "Well, I guess this isn't much of a swimming lesson."

Now it was her turn to feel shy. She lowered her eyes and laughed with him nervously, staring at his strong, hands that still held her. "Maybe we should get back," she said, hoping the quiver in her voice wasn't giving her away. She didn't want to go back. She wished they could just stand here this way forever, with Miroku keeping all the terrible fears at bay.

He squeezed her arms. "Not until I show you how much you're missing. Come on. That's right. Another two steps. Just follow me-"

"Miroku -" Her fingers clamped down on his arms as he guided her out into the water, but his voice was soft, soothing her, his lips upon her ear-

"Ssh, now, just hold onto me-"

"Miroku-no-"

"I've got you, Kagome. I'm not going to let go of you-"

The world was disappearing beneath her feet; she had no choice but to hang onto him as he waded farther out into the water. She felt the undercurrents bubbling around her ankles and instinctively kicked away from them, thrusting herself out into the deeper waves and into Miroku's arms.

"See?" Miroku's face was so close, his smile growing. "See? You're doing it. I knew you could."

And she _was_ swimmming, the old muscles taking over as if they'd never forgotten how, her body light and buoyant in the protective circle of Mirku's arms. She felt a strange thrill-triumph? Apprehension? Relief? She wasn't sure what it was, only that Miroku's lips closed over hers, and the salt and the warmth of him and the gentle waves lapping their bodies together as she held onto him, tighter...tighter...

She never saw the huge wave rumbling towards them.

Or the one that came after, tearing them apart.

What she did see was an explosion of darkness, and stars cartwheeling across the sky, and the moon hung upside down as the ocean somersaulted her onto the shore.

"Miroku!"

Coughing, Kagome scrambled up out of the wet sand, slipping, falling, her eyes desperate upon the slow, pulsing surface of the water. Nowhere was it broken by a familiar silhouette-no sign of a body swimming toward shore, no cries for help, no head bobbing suddenly to the surface...

There was just the empty beach...the ocean with its secrets...and Kagome...


	16. Silence

**Disclaimer: I own Nothing.**

_**Silence**_

_"Miroku!"_ she screamed again. Panic-stricken she ran into the water, gasping as it crept up her thighs. It was her the ocean had wanted, not Miroku, but she had tempted it too far, and now she would be punished for her daring. She had cheated it once..and it would keep trying and trying until-"Miroku! Where are you? Answer me!"

In utter helplessness she stood their, fists to her mouth, frenzy welling up in her in cold choking waves.

And that's when she felt something bump against her leg.

At first, in the strange, slow motions that only fear can produce, she looked down in a kind of detachment, surprised that she wasn't alone as she had thought, half expecting to see Miroku's body paddling furiously toward shore.

Only it wasn't Miroku's body.

There was nothing there.

And against she felt the curious surprise, something almost like wonder, propelling her like a doll, making her look all around for whatever had made her stumble.

And then it made her stumble again.

And the water parted in a l ng, wide ripple moving slowly, deliberatly , away from her...

She watched it, hypnotized, the ocean splitting beneath the moon...and Inuyasha's voice, grim and prophetic, driving relentlessly through the fog of terror and into her brain.

_"...don't need deep water...three feet will do..."_

And as she gazed at the smooth, clean break in the water, she saw it swing back in a gentle arc..saw it coming straight for her...saw something rise, bladelike, beneath the moon...

Sheer torror flung her onto the beach once more-screams echoing over and over in her head, the sand crumbling beneath her feet, scraping her hands and face as she fell-ran-fell-ran-the whole beach a macabre funhouse where she raced for her life but never got anywhere. Lights swam by in a dizzying stream-_Where is everybody? Can't they her? Don't they care?-_and she ran, crying Miroku's name that nobody heard-

She tripped over some dirftwood and sprawled flat , blood gushing from her nose, and as she stumbled to her feet, arms grabbed her from behind, nearly sending her into hysterics.

"What is it? Kagome' Stop it!"

She fought the hands that tried to steady her, swinging out at the wet body wrestling to hold her still.

"Let me go! Oh, god-"

"What the hell's the matter with you?"

She saw Inuyasha'as scowl; she tried to twist free, but his grip was too strong.

"Miroku-" she babbled-"back there-"

"Where?" He shook her. "What about Miroku?"

"He disappeared," she sobbed. "I saw a shark-"

Even in the shadows Inuyasha's tan went white. He shoved her roughly in front of him.

"Show me where..."

"You've got to get help-"

"Show me-_now!"_

Together they raced back down the beach, Kagome trying to keep up with Inuyasha's efforless sprint. She felt sick, undigested seawater and absolute terror churning up into her thoat. Her muscles shrieked in exhaustion, but when she stumbled, Inuyasha ran on and didn't stop.

"Where?" he called back over his shoulder. "Where were you?"

"I don't know!" Kagome cried, pitching forward, struggling up again. He was getting farther ahead of her, and her legs were giving out. She could hear him calling Miroku's name over and over again.

"What do you mean you don't know?" he yelled angrily.

"I don't know!" Kagome screamed back at him "I know we were past the houses and the lights-I don't know the beach, Inuyasha-_I don't know!"_ She felt herself losing all mental control but she couldnt help it. She ran up in time to see him dash into the water.

"Miroku!" His voice thundered across the waves, it came back mockingly on the wind.

"Inuyasha, don't go in there!" Kagome looked wildly around, searching desperately for some landmark, some sign of where they had been. It all looked the same-black and empty-and dead. She raced up behind Inuyasha and tried to pull him back. "Inuyasha-we've got to get help-"

"Let go-just get back-" He went deeper, leaving her helplessly on shore.

"Inuyasha! Please!"

"Miroku!" he shouted again. "Miorku!" Looking back, he waved on arm in a direction farther down the beach. "Go to the lifeguard station and use the phone-just take it off the hook-"

But kaogme was already running. Gasping painfully for breath she pushed herself along the shore, legs pumping, prayers whistling through clenched teeth, eyes fixed ahead, willing herself forward. _Only minutes away...only seconds...I couln't help Dad before...I couldn't save Dad before...but I'll save miorku..._

She hardly noticed the sound at first. A soft, indistinct sputter, like a cough, only liquid. She thought it was her own throat, that she was going to be sick at last...but when she glanced down and saw the long shadow stretched half out of the water, she gave a shriek and fell down on the sand beside it.

"Miroku-oh-Miroku-are you-?"

He heaved, ocean water empying again and again from his lungs, and she held him until his bady lay quiet once more. She was vaguely aware that somewhere in beteween the spasms she shouted for Inuyasha, and that Miroku was shaking uncontrollably as she eased him over onto his back.

She wasn't prepared for the terror in his eyes.

"Where is he?" Miroku grabbed onto her, trying to pull himself up, to look around at the deserted stretch of sand, and she fought to push him back down.

"Who? Inuyasha? He was going in to look for you and-"

"No!" Miroku was squeezing her arm so tightly that she winced. "Where was he when I went into the water-"

Kagome stared at him as if the water had somehow affected his reasoning. "I dont' know, but I've got to go back and get him!" She tried to pry his fingers away, but he only held her tihgter. "Miroku, he's gone in to look for you! I saw a shark out there-you don't understand-"

"No!" Miroku looked up at her, his face pleading, his voice sinking to a whisper-"No..._you _don't understand..."

Kagome felt a chill ripple up her spine. For a long moment she stared into his eyes, so bright with fear, and didn't even realize at first that someone had slipped out of the shadows to join them.

"Are you all right?" Inuyasha's deep voice fell between them, and Kagome looked up in alrm. Miroku was still trembling. She slipped her fingers around his cold ones and squeezed.

"He's freezing," she said. She watched in silence as Inuaysha knelt down to examine him. Miroku lay there passively, too waek to even move. _Weak ?Or afraid?_ Kagome thought unexpectedly. WIth a slight shock she studied Miroku's face and watched the color drain away. She released his hand and stood up.

"Where are you goint?" Inuyasha asked quietly.

"To get help. He needs a doctor."

"No. He's okay..." Inuyasha rocked back on his heels, fixing her with a level stare.

"But he's shaking and-"

"I've cehcked him over. He's fine. We'll let him rest for a while, and then you can help me get him back to the house."

Kagome frowned, a strange apprehension creeping over her. This was all too much...first Rin and now Miroku..so easily...right in front of her eyes...and nothing she could do..nothing.._just like before...just like the last time..only I wouldn't have let you die, Miroku..I wouldn't have..._

She choked back a new wave of panic and looked over at Miroku as he shifted uncomfortably on his back. She saw his eyeslids close..saw his lips move...saw Inuyasha bending closer to catch the half murmured words that were so hard to hear...

But Kagome heard them.

Staring at Miroku's pale, exhausted face, Kagome heard them and the fear that filled them.

"Inuyasha..." Miroku whispered, _"where were you?"_

**ANyways, hope you enjoyed it. Pelase review. Ciao for now :)**


	17. Memories

**Remarkably quick update. I know...But Im dedicated to satisfying my readers so here ya go :) Please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

_**Memories**_

"I don't know what I would have done," Sango said for the fifth time. She poured boiling water over the teabag in Kagome's cup and stood back to look at her. "Out there all alone in the water like that, and Miroku disappearing-"

"Sango, we have to talk," Kagome pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders and eyed her friend dismally. "Someone was in my room tonight, only nobody believes me."

The teakettle clattered down onto the stove. "Are you kidding?"

Kagome's serious expression convinced her. "The boys dont believe me..I should never have told them. They think I imagined the whole thing. They think I tracked water across the floor onto the rug, only it wasn't me, and there were footprinsts."

Sango looked puzzled. "You mean..someone was prowling around in your room?"

"I can't prove anything," Kagome groaned. "It's as bad as what happened today, finding that body that disappeared. Which, by the way, Shippou told the other guys about . They think it's hysterically funny."

"They would," Sango grumbled. "Now Shippou'll tell the sheriff and no one'll believe us. Damn him!" Sango slammed her potholder onto the counter.

"You better take Miroku his tea," Kagome reminded her, and Sango grudgingly took the cup and went out of the room. Kagome could her them all in the den-all their easy, comfortable voices weaving in and out through the music on the stereo, as if nothing had happened. Even Miroku, who had stretched out on the couch, sounded like his old self. Kagome was proud of herself, really, for having kept up her controlled facade this long. Inuyahsa had been very explicit about not wanting to upset anyone, not wanting to create a scene. She had been calm and steady all the way back frrom the beach; she had brushed off SHippou's and Sango's alarm at their long absence, and she had done her share of reassuring and understating. But now-now in the warmth and brightness and safety of the kitchen, she felt herself slowly crumbling apart.

"Are you warm enough?"

The voice startled her, and she looked up. Inuaysha was leaning in the doorway, all angles and shadows and expressions she couldnt read. She looked away and concentrated on stirring her tea.

"Yes, thanks. I'm fine." No tears now, Kagome., not the time, not the place...She wondered if he noticed how her spoon clattered against her cup, how it wobbled though she tried to hold it still.

"About the shark," Inuyasha siad, coming into the room. He paused beside her , and she stiffened. "Are you..._sure_...you saw it?"

Kagome's mouth tightened obstinately. "Why? Do you think I hallucinated everything back there? Like the prowler in my room? Like the body Shippou thinks Sango and I made up? You think maybe Miroku just washed himself up on the beach to scare us all to death?" She was shocked at her own belligerence. She glanced at Inuyasha, but his look was one of cool assessment.

"The share," he said again, as if her outburst had never come. "Couldn't you have mistaken it for something else?"

"I saw it come up out of the water," she said stubbornly. "It bumped against my legs-" She shuddered at the memory, her cup rattling in its saucer.

"Lots of things could bump you underwater," Inuyasha said, going over to the counter, pouring a mug of strong coffee. He raised it halfway to his mouth, his lips pursed to blow. "Fish...driftwood...seaweed..."

"I felt it," Kagome said. "I saw it."

"I'm not saying you didn't feel and see something." Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "But shark skin feels really different-it's rough like sandpaper and you could have been scraped pretty bad. I'm just saying that things can seem pretty scary out there on the ocean after dark."

Kagome lapsed into uncooperatie silence. She felt like she was going to explode.

"Don't say anything about it," Inuyasha's eyes pinned her over the rim of his upturned cup. "At least not just yet."

"Don't you think people have aright to know if they're about to be eaten alive-"

"Sure I do," he lifted his cup in mock toast. "And they will. But there's no need for complete panic about this. Just let me notify the right people so they can handle it the best way. Does that meet with _your_ approval?"

Kagome looked daggers at him, gripping the hot cup so tightly that her fingers burned. Inuaysha walked out without a word, brushing Sango aside as he went.

"Well!" Sango looked surprised. "What was that all about?"

"I hate his-his-_superior _attitude!" Kagome sputtered. "And the way he's always bossing people around! And he's always showing up where you don't expect him-like a snake under a rock. Sango, _where was he anyway?"_

"When?" Sango groped around in the pantry and pulled out a new tin of coffee.

"Tonight. When Moroku and I left."

"I don't know. When you and I came down from Shippou's room, I don't think Inuyasha was around then."

"I don't think so, either." Kagome's face puckered in a deep frown, and Sango glanced at her curiously.

"I didn't even realize you and Miroku were gone. SHippou and I wer fighting..Then he stormed off somewhere, and I came in here to throw things aorund." She grinned sheepishly. "And the next thing I know, Shippou was out in the pool again and you and Miroku and Inuyasha were coming back." She stopped in the middle of measureing coffee. "Kagome, what's wrong?"

_"Where is he...where was he when I went into the water..." _Kagome shook her head slowly, trying to clear it of Miorku's words on the beach..."Sango..do you think Miroku seems..well...afraid of Inuaysha?"

For a moment Sango looked perplexed. "Afraid? Everyones a little afraid of Inuyasha, aren't they?" she said wryly. "Nobody gets along with him...not shippou, not the islanders, not even you!"

"Why not the islanders?"

"Something about him makes people uncomfortable. He isn't one to return freindly gestures, if you know what I mean."

Kagome gave a curt nod. Her nerves felt stretched to breaking ,and a headache was throbbing behind her temples.

"Where are you going? Are you okay?"

Sango watched carefullly as Kagome stood up.

"I just need a bathroom . I'll be fine in a minute."

"Go upstairs. It's alot quieter. Third door on your left. Do you need me?"

"No, thanks. I'm just jumpy."

Sango looked syapthetic. "Okay, but if you're not down in ten minutes I'm coming to check on you."

Kagome couldn't quite manage a smile. She went unsteadily up the wide, curving staircase and found the bathroom. Locking the door, she sat down on the carpeted floor, her back against the wall, and let a horde of memories trample though her mind. She coulnd't forget what had happened tonight-the helpless panic of seeing Miroku disappear, of seeing that dark shape cut through the water...that pressure of something solid and very real against her legs...and then the unbelievable relief of finding Miroku alive and unharmed...when she thought she'd lost him..lost him forever..I can't go though that again...I can't ...

_"Don't ...stuggle...it'll be easier if you don't..."_

"Oh, Dad," Kagome whimpered.

She pressed her palms flat on either side of her head, rocking slowly. _WHy did Miroku seem so terrified of Inuyasha? And why is Inuyasha being so secretive about what happen?_ The questions pounded, making her headache worse by the second. And where did that body go? And why was I so certain that someone was in my room tonight, _waiting while I waited..listening while I listened...?_

Stumbling to the window, she thrust it open and pressed her face against the screen. The air was damp and soft, and she breathed it in greedily, letting her eyes roam across the rocky coastline, the desrted beach...

**WEll...im sorry its short...But please review...:) ciao for now**


	18. Intrusion

**Hey everyone. Here's another chapter for you.**

**Please enjoy the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

_Last Time:_

She pressed her palms flat on either side of her head, rocking slowly. _Why did Miroku seem so terrified of Inuyasha? And why is Inuyasha being so secretive about what happen?_ The questions pounded, making her headache worse by the second. And where did that body go? And why was I so certain that someone was in my room tonight, _waiting while I waited..listening while I listened...?_

Stumbling to the window, she thrust it open and pressed her face against the screen. The air was damp and soft, and she breathed it in greedily, letting her eyes roam across the rocky coastline, the deserted beach...

_**Life**_

Only it wasn't deserted.

Kagome felt her body go rigid as one of the rocks seemed to lurch away from the others. Long and ghostlike, it spilled out across the sand, righted itself, finally staggering out into the moonlight. It took half a second to recognize him.

Totosai.

Totally absorbed, Kagome watched as he approached the wall separating Shippou's backyard form the beach. He looked around furtively, shoulders hunched, before he finally flattened himself against the gate.

Kagome inhaled sharply. Slowly the gate began to open. Totosai wedged one shoulder in and paused.

"Shippou?" Kagome hit the stairs at a run and burst into the den. "Shippou..in back...he's trying to break in..."

"What! Who?" He stared at her, not fully comprehending , and Kagome wondered if he'd been drinking. Miroku and Inuyasha were already running out the door to the pool. Sango jumped up and looked at Kagome, and Shippou finally grumbled and followed the other boys outside.

"Are you okay?" Sango grabbed Kagome by the wirst and they raced out into the yard, just in time to see Miroku and Inuyasha run out through the gate.

"I saw him from the window-" She waited breathlessly for the sounds of struggle. "They should have caught him by now . He was halfway in the gate-"

"Well, there's nobody there now," Shippou spread his arms wide, letting them drop again loosely to his sides. "You said' he'-"

"Yes, it was Totosai."

"Totosai!"

"I'm sure of it. I could see him plain as day."

"What's he hanging around here for?" Sango asked, more annoyed than frightened. "Doesn't he have anything better to do?"

"Oh, he probably heard the music and wanted to join the party." Shippou grinned as Miroku and Inuyasha came back into the yard. "Any luck?"

"Not a sign of life anywhere." Miroku latched the gate and added, "What happened to your security system, anyway?"

"It hinders my comings and goings," Shippou said wickedly. "I disconnect it whenever posible."

"Kagome said it was Totosia," Sango added.

"Totosai? Whet the hell's he doing here?" Inuyasha muttered. He tossed Kagome a curious glanse as he passed.

"I didn't imagine it," Kagome said icily.

"Did I say you did?" Inuyasha sounded unconcerned.

"You implied it. I saw hime from the window upstairs."

"That's all right," Miroku stepped in. "We're all a little jumpy. And Totosai's harmless."

"Nobody," Shippou lifted his beer can, "is harmless."

"He's right," Inuaysha said, and Shippou looked at him in surprise. "How well can you ever really know anyone?" He disappeared into the house, leaving the rest of them in an uneasy huddle.

"I think we should go home," Miroku said. He laid one hand gently across Kagome's back and nodded. "This is enough exitement for one night. Got your things?"

She couldn't remember where she'd left her pruse, and had to go back throug the house looking for it. At last she found it in Shippou's room on a chair, and was just bending down to get it when she heard someone come in behind her.

"Couldn't stay away, huh." Shippou gave her that teasing smile, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Shippou, you scared me. I was just looking for my purse."

"Oh," he looked dissapointed. "I thought maybe you'd come to finish the tour."

"You mean there's more?" She laughed.

"Oh,m y dear," Shippou draped one arm around her neck and guided her clumsily to another door not far from the darkroom. "I m just full of surprises, shocks, and thrills-" He pushed the door wide and raised his voice in a falsetto fanfare. "TADA! And here we have the eighht wonder of the world-" He swept his arms to encompass the large exercise room, and Kagome burst out laughing as she saw what the "eighth wonder" was-a full length mirror in which Shippou's image grinned back at her.

"Well, aren't I right? Aren't I the next international monument?"

Kagome shook her head. "You're a wonder, all right." Besides all the gym equipment in the room, the walls were hung with mounted animal heads, obviously very much alive at one time. Stuffed pheasants, frozen in flight; ducks with shiny featheres; a small red fox with beady black eyes..She took a nervous step backward , and then she saw the deer-the delicate face and slender neck of a dow, the eyes wide and soft and trusting, the quintessence of gentleness. Kagome felt a shiver of revulsion, a wave of sadness-strange...the eyes reminded her of Miroku...

**Please Review!**


	19. Fear

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

_**Fear**_

"Shippou," she mumbled, not wanting to stay one more minute in the presence of this horrible display.

"You don't approve," he said blandly, not seeming surprised at all. He lifted a beer can, "Well, neither does my dear, sweet mother. That's why I have them all hanging in here away from the general public. Another trophy room of mine, I guess you could say. And here I thought you'd be impressed by my primal hunter's instinct."

"I...I just don't see how you could have..killed that deer." Kagome turned to him, disappointed. "They're so sweet and helpless..."

"It's the tracking, really," Shipou went on as if he hadn't heard her. "The tracking...going after them..and the prey...unsuspecting..." His voice lowered, eyes fixed on the deer head high on the wall. "So helpless, and you run it down...stalk it till it's finally yours. " He snickered, and Kagome felt a chill snake up her arms. "It's the tracking, Kagome, that's the real fun of it," he whispered. "They don't see you...but they know. They know you're there, and they know they're going to die. Sometimes," his eyes fell on hers, "you can even smell their fear, it's so strong."

Kagome pushed him aside. "Shippou, you're drunk. I'm going home."

"And that completes this particular tour. " Shippou announced. "Of course , there are more private, exclusive tours I'd be more than happy to sign you up for." His eyes twinkled blearily as he looked her up and down, and Kagome gave him a tight smile.

"What I can't understand," she said, "is how you could ever stand to go away to school and leave all this."

"Why?" Shippou feigned alarm, drawing back with a gasp. "Why, indeed!" He fell back on the waterbed, looking peculiarly smug. "Number one-I am a very, very unmanageable son, and dear old Dad wants me out of his hair. Number two-am I going too fast for you?-I am the ultimate embarrassment to my saintly mother, who doesn't happen to be here now, by the way, becasue she's having a new affair that no one's supposed to know about, but, of course, everyone does. And number three-the reason that I'm a very, very unmanageable son and the ultimate embarrassment is because this place is a stinking prison!"

Kagome hadn't expected this-she stared back at him in silence, trying to make up her mind just how drunk he really was. His face wore that same mocking expression it always wore, but he looked back at her, his mouth trembled and he gave a forced, weak laugh.

"A prison, in case I didn't make myself clear. A prison of..." he frouned, searching for the word, then snapped his fingers, "of privilege!"

Kagome didn't know what to say. Suddenly she felt like a intruder, who had oo right to hear these things.

"you're right, Kagome," Shipou said, very quiet now, "I probably am drunk." He twirled the beer can slowly between his fingers, then shook his head. "No. I'm not drunk. I couldn't do that to Miroku, not tonight." He smiled at Kagome, and she smiledback, believing him. "No, Kagome, it's a strange, strange world I live in, this land of the rich and greedy. Everyone thinks I have everything."

"And do you?" she asked softly.

"I'm used to getting what I want." His smile twisted, went bitter. "And what I don't get...well...I just take."

Kagome felt her smile falter, fade. She looked at him uneasily , then turned as Miroku's voice floated up from the stairs.

"Kagome, we're leaving!"

"Yes, I'm coming!"

Shippou raised his beer can in farewell. "To our next meeting?"

"Shippou, you either have to drive us home, or we're takng your car!" Miroku yelled, and SHippou clambered up with a sigh.

"That's what I get for giving the chauffeur the night off..."

Kagome was glad to rejoin the others, and this time she sat in the backseat bside Miroku. The night had turned chilly, and as the jeep sped homeward, she was conscious of Miroku's arm protectively around her, his chest and shouldres shielding her from the wind. When they finally reached the cottage, Inuyasha jumped out first, eyeing them coolly as Miroku casually withdrew his arm and nudged Kagome out.

"I'll call you tomorrow," Sango promised. "I know a great place for a picnic-breakfast, okay?"

"Well, some of us have to work for a living," Shippou said, ruffling Sango's hair. She ignored him. "See you guys tomorrow-"

There was chorus of good-byes, and Kagome followed the boys into the house. Inuyasha went straight upstairs and closed the door. Miroku hesitated in the hall ouside Kagome's room, waiting for her to turn on her lamp.

"Miroku, are you sure you're all right?" Kagome asked again. She looked into his eyes, searching for answeres.

"He nodded. "But what about you?"

"I'm okay. You know you really terified me tonight-I really thought-"

"Ssh..." His finger touched her lips. "Me, too...but it's over now. Everything's okay."

"Is it?" She wasn't sure why she said that, wasnt't sure if she jsut imagined a shadow flickering over his face." Miroku, what happened out there? I was standing right next to you-if it was an undertow like Inuyasha said, the why didn't I get washed away, too,and-"

"It wasn't an undertow," Miroku said softly.

At first Kagome thought she'd misunderstood him. She stared, frowning , letting his words sink in. "What..."

"I know what Inuyasha said, Kagome , but he was wrong. I didn't want to scare anybody back there, especially you. But it wasn't an undercurrent or anything like that. I was like-I don't know-" He shook his head slowly, as if trying to recall the exact feelings, the exact fear-"like something alive grabbed me from underwater. Grabbed me and pulled me down." He glanced at her, almost guiltily. "Maybe I imagined it...maybe I panicked when I went under..it just felt..." His eyes closed for a second, a brief flash of pain creasing his brow.

"Miroku," Kagome whispered. She sounded frightened, and he looked annoyed with himself.

"Listen to me, standing her inventing things to worry about..what matters is that we're both okay. Let's not think about it anymore."

"But you could have been-"

"But I wasn't . "He smiled down at her, his body relaxing a little. "I guess I owe you another swimming lesson."

"No, I don't think so." His eyes were so blue...so clear..and she couldnt look away...

"Goodngiht, then."

"Goodnight."

She slipped into her nightgown, pulled on her robe, and perched on the edge of her bed. So much had happened..so much that wasn't right...She had to think.

Her eyes lowered, fell again on the rug at ther feet. The stains were still there, lopsided rings faded dampness, but the seaweed was gone. She stared hard at the spot where it had been, seeing it again in her mind, and she knew with fierce certainty that she hadn't imagined it. She got down on the floor, crawled slowly from the rug to the door, eyes narrowed and intense. No footprints here. No water marks, no leftover stains..._"when I got to your room I didn't see any seaweed..."_ When had the other boys gotten to her room? And where had the seaweed been then?

Kagome crawled back to the rug and started over again, toward the bathroom door.j

What she found there turned her cold.

She hadn't noticed it before-she was positive it hadn't been there or she'd have stepped on it. But now-now it was lying just beneath the bathroom door-as if someone had tried to push it under and it had snagged-almost hidden, but not quite-just that one matted glob that had started to dry and work its way free and now left a little trail across the floor like a strand of damp hair...

With trembling fingers Kagome reacehd out..horrified..touched it...

She jerked her hand back, but the seaweed clung, and she cried out as she tried to fling it off, to unpeel it like dead skin..

The awful thing sailed across the floor, landing with a thud.

Kagome's hands flew to her heart, her throat, fluttered to her mouth hand finally to her pocket where they froze as a look of disbelieve contorted her face. For suddenly in the far reaches of her mind, she heard Eri's voice again over athe phone, struggling to get throuhg_-"there's that echo-Kagome, you sound like you're in a tunnel or something-that echo!"-_and she'd been trying, trying so hard, to tell Eri about the note, only Eri hadn't heard a word she'd said...

But somebody had.

Because when she had hung up the phone, there had been _two _clicks, not one...

Somebody had listened in and heard everything.

And now the note was gone.

**Hope you enjoyed. Please review :)**


	20. Conversations

**Hey everyone. Here's the next chapter for you. SOrry it took so long to update...Im also working on the next chapter for Running..and to be honest im completely stumped...Ill get it up asap though...Im also working on the next chapter for Snow white...Please enjoy.**

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**The Island**_

_**Conversations**_

The sky was just glowing pink when Kagome slipped out of the cottage. She paused on the steps and slid her arms into her purple windbreaker. She hadn't heard the footsteps behind her. Now as the shadow took form beside the house, she stifled a scream.

"You're up early," Inuyasha said. She could feel the intensity fo his stare, even though his eyes were part of the morning darkness., and she tried to stare back, undaunted.

"So are you."

"I always am." He moved off and climbed into his jeep. "You need a lift somewhere?" He asked without looking up.

"No...I was just going for a walk."

"Suit yourself." The jeep's engine grudgingly came to life. Kagome watched as Inuyasha aimed it for the break in the trees.

"Inuyasha!" she called. "Wait!" she suddenly found herself clutching the door handle and looking up into his eyes. There was something so cold about them...black and bottomless.

For one weird instant she had the sensation of peering straight down into his soul-and finding nothing there. The shock of it brought her back again, to his insolent gaze and the impatient set of his mouth. "How's Miroku this morning?" she asked lamely.

He jerked his thumb in the direction of the house. "Asleep. Why dont you ask him yoursef?" He reached down to shift gears, and her hand came down on his arm.

"Wait. I've got to ask you something important. It's about Rin."

This time there was a response in the eyes, as if something roused and warily awakened. Kagome's fingers loosened on his arm, and her heart gave an uneasy flutter.

"Get in," he nodded.

She sat as far from him as she could without falling out of the jeep, and he drove slowly, both hands on the steering wheel, eyes straight ahead. They headed down the beach toward the concession stands and the boat docks, Inuyasha's eyes keen upon the shadows, as if he could ferret out their darkest secrets. Kagome sat still and waited for him to say something. At last the jeep braked to an abrupt halt. Inuyasha shifted his body so that he was facing her and appraised her with his eyes.

"So, what do you want to know?" he asked.

Kagome took a deep breath and plunged in. "I know everyone's saying that Rin had a accident. That she-"

"Drowned," Inuyaha finished for her, and she realized she was looking for something in his face-remorse, sorrow, _somthing_-but there was nothing that hinted of any emotion. "You don't have to be so careful. Facts don't shock me at all. Besides, I've pretty much accepted it."

It was a strange kind of acceptance, Kagome thougt has if it hadn't taken much effort on his part. "But Miroku hasn't accepted it-"

"Yes, I'm sorry for Miroku. And for my father. Isn't that what you want me to say? I'm sorry for anyone when tragedy comes." He leaned back into the corner and propped one foot on the edge of the seat, draping one arm across his knee. "And tragedies do happen. To all of us, sooner or later."

In spite of her windbreaker, goosebumps broke out over her arms. Kagome rubbed them, met his level gaze, saw that his walls had gone up again. "But you don't think she drowned, do you?"

A seagull called in the distance, a lonely cry beneath the relentless rush of the waves. From somewhere far away came the solitary wail of a boat whistle.

"I think she drowned," Inuyasha said at last. "I don't think it was an accident."

In one split second Kagome felt all her fears congeal like ice around her heart. She scarcely trusted her voice to speak. "Then...you think..."

"someone killed her."

**Please Review!**


	21. Thoughts

**Hey everyone. Sorry it took so long to update...Been busy :) my brother jsut had his baby...9 freakin pounds...he so cute adn fat lol...jk...chubby. Anyways, i tried making this chapter a little longer since I took so long. Please Enjoy.**

_**The Island**_

_**Thoughts**_

The surf roared in her head...or was it the wind roaring..or just his eyes, boring into her and through her, with that blackness that was so..._inhuman? _She tried to swallow over the lump in her throat. "But...why?"

"Why?" Inuyasha repeated. He looked down at his hand slowly tightening into a fist. "Because she was there. Because it was a good night to push someone off a cliff. Take your pick."

Kagome didn't like the tone of his voice, so casual, so detached. He leaned forward, very, very slowly, until his eyes were inches from hers.

"And you think she was murdered, too." His eyes were almsot amused. "Don't you." It was a statement, not a question. She watched his hand loosen...clench...loosen again upon his knee.

"And it makes me wonder why you think that," he said quietly. "Why you would ever think that Rin might have been murdered."

She stared hard at a spot on the windshield, wishing she had never brought it up, never gotten into this jeep, never come to this stupid island-"I dont think anything," she said. "I'm trying to understand it, that's all."

"Dont." He twisted back into driving position, but his hand stopped halfway to the ignition as he glanced over at her. "Don't make it your business. You'll just end up getting hurt."

Kagmoe's heart tightened unmercifully. She wanted to look away from him, to jump out and run from him, but his eyes held her there, compelling her to look back. "_You'll just end up getting hurt..."_

"can we go back now?" she heard herself mumble.

He revved the jeep into action, reaching the cottage within minutes. Kagome didnt say anything more to him, and Inuyasha had drove away without a backward glance. "You'll just end up getting hurt..." His words hung there in the pale mist, adding another chill to the morning. She pulled her windbreaker tightly around her and sat down on the steps, trying to think. Why is Inuyasha so convinced that Rin's been killed? She was glad when Sango strolled up the drive, lugging a picnic basket.

"What did you do? Clean out your whole restaurant?" She waved and was answered by Sango's contagious giggle.

"This should hold us till the beach party tonight."

"What beach party?"

"Oh, didn't the guys tell you? They have to work tonight for a party. A bunch of people work tonight for a party. A bunch of people from the mainland reserved the beach for some big special deal, and the law says they have to have lifeguards there."

"So why are we going"

Sango's eyes twinkled. "We're dates. Don't tell me you havent been asked yet-"

"Sango!" Kagome shook her head. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing, I swear. Only somtimes Miroku's jsut so shy he needs a little help, is all. Isn't that right, Miroku?"

Kagome spun around, startled, ans miroku cam down the front steps. He looked sleepy, his hair still rumpled, and embarrassed at hanving been caught.

"' Morning, sleeping beauty," Sango teased him. "Aren't you a little late this morning?"

MIroku nodded. "Guess I oversletp. Have you seen Inuyasha?"

"I passed him on my way. He's got East Beach today, he said. And by the way, isn't there something you wanted to ask Kagome? About tonight?"

"Sango!" Kagome turned on her, but Sango only laughed and gave her a big wink.

"The beach party," Sango pormped him. "Bringing along a date. Stuff like that."

A sheepish look crept over Miroku's face. "You're doing such a good job, Sango. I thought I'd let you ask her for me."

Sango weas totally unruffled. "I did. And she said yes."

"Oh, Sango," Kagome groaned, and MIroku tossed her a quick grin as he ran by.

"See you later!" Sango called and pulled firmly on Kaogme's arm. "Come on, I know this great little place-we cat eat and get some sun and eat and talk and eat-"

"You're impsossible." Kagome couldn't stay annoyed with her when she giggled like that. "And pretty presumptuous."

"Who, me? No, the word is perceptive, I think. I've seen the way Miroku acts around you, in case you haven't'"

"Miroku's got to much going on in his life right now to even be thinking straight," Kagome said absently. "Especially about me. Or girls in general."

"And what are you thinking about?" Sango asked, peering at her intently. "Besides Miroku, I mean. That look is awfully serious."

"Sango," Kagome began, and saw her friend staring back at her in concern, ans she reached out for Sango's hand. "Sango, I'm really scared."

"Kagome, what is it-"

"Something's going on that I dont understand. Ive got to tell you."

Sango nodded, her face full of questions, but she kept them to herself until they reached the picnic spot hidden back beyond the dunes. Kagome frowned when she saw the light house rising, spectrelike, on the cliffs behind them.

"Do you believe in that legend?" she asked, helping Sango unpack the basket. "About the drowned souls luring people to their deaths?" She shaded her eyes and looked up at the rotting tower tilting above them.

Sango followed her gaze. "I don't know. I think probably someone started it to keep tresspassers away. I expect it could just crumble away anytime. But it still looks kind of noble, don't you think? Like some brave last stand against time?" She chuckled and took out a plastic jug and cups. "The floors have all pretty much collapsed, I think. No telling what kind of critters are holed up in there-" she shuddered. "I've always had this fear, you know, that one granddaddy of a storm could do the whole thing in."

WIth an effort Kagome wrenched her eyes away. For jsut one second she'd had that creepy feeling again of being watched.

"you're the only one I can trust, Sango," Kaogme said, staring straight at her. "I think something awful is going on." She took a shallow breath. "I don't think Rin had an accident."

"What?" Sango sat up, rocked back on her bare heels and rested her palms on her knees. "You're really starting to scare me now, Kagome-you better tell me everything."

So Kagome did-beginning with her first day on the island and the notes she had gotten from Rin..the one frightening note with its message of death..the laughter in the lighthouse..her meeting with Totosai and his strange conversation..someone being in her room...Totosai waiting for her again ouside in the dark...she discovered that Rin's note was missing, and finally her realization that someone had listened in on the phone. Sango sat here, eyes huge, lips slightly parted, never saying a word., not even moving, and Kagome gave a long sigh to show she had finished.

"What shoud I do, Sango? I feel like I should tell someone about the note. I've felt so guilty about it ever since I found it-but i wasn't sure it was real, and I didn't want to get everybody alll upset-"

Sango's head moved, puppetlike. "Especially since they all think it was an accident."

"And now I can't do anything about it." Kagome looked miserable. "I can't just go to Inutaisho, can I ? Or the sheriff? You said yourself he'd think we're crazy-he'll want proof and I havent got any."

"Oh, God..." Sango mumbled and suddenly her eyes went twice their normal size..."Oh, God, Kagome..if it wan't an accident..do you think someone killed her?"

Kagome avoided Sango's stare and scooped up a handful of sand, letting it sift slowly through ther fingers. "Inuyasha does," she said.

"Inuyasha, of course," Sango snorted. "He would think that. It's in keeping with his character." Her attempt at humor fell flat, and she ducked her head, chewing thoughfully on some wind blown wisps of hair.

"But if he's right. Sango." Two sets of eyes lifted, met...and held...

A warm breeze sighed around them, shapeshifting the dunes that closed them off from the beach, but not the lighhouse. Kagome forced herself not to look at it.

She still had that feeling.

Like someone was up there, watching them.

Oblivious, Sango opened some yogurt and shook her head. "Who would kill RIn? And why? Rin was so sweet , she wouldnt have hurt anybody, so why would anyone want to...?

Her hands fluttered uslessly, as if to pluck answers from the air.

Kagome's mind raced-back though the events of last night, the agreement she'd made with Inuyasha-and finally she gave in. "Sanog. You don't know everything about what happened last ngiht."

"Oh, no. What do you mean?" Sango seemed to physically brace herself against another onslaught.

"Inuyasha said Miroku were just carried away by the undertow, " Kagome said slowly. "But Miroku's a lifeguard, right? He'd know better than to go in the water if it was dangerous. He said himself East Beach is his favorie beach-he must know everything about it."

"I thought about that," Sango admitted, "but Miroku didn't argue with Inuyasha so..." She shrugged, looked totally baffled.

"No, Miroku didn't say anything then-but later on he told me he'd felt something grab him and pull him under. And," she went on reluctantly. "I felt something bump against me, too. And there was something in the water."

Sango went stiff all over. "You dont mean-a shark! Oh, god Kagome, if you saw a shark I'll just-"

"that's just it," Kagome said miserably, "I know i saw something and it looked like a fin-but Inuaysha says maybe it wasn't-that real shark skin would have cut me-and it was dark out there, and I was pretty scared-"

Sango nodded slowly. "What about Miroku? Did he see anything? Anything at all?'

Kagome shook her ehad. "But Sango, the more I think about it, the weirder it gets. What if Inuyasha was right? Would we have both been that lucky-both of us-if there was a shark out there? I mean, what are the chances of a shark coming after both of us and not attacking?"

Sango's eyes narrowed. "What are you getting at?'

"I mean, what if someone was just trying to scare us?I dont know how they did it but-what if somehow they made it look like a shark attack?"

Sango's burst of laughter was compleetely humorless. "Why on earth would anyone do that?"

"I don't know..." She stared down at the growing pile of sand beneath her fingers, but what she saw instead was the wet beach in the moonlight, and MIroku sprawled there, gasping for breath, his eyes glazed with fear, his growing panic over Inuyasha. _"Where was he when I went in the water...you don't understand...Inuyasha...where were you...Inuyasha..."_

"I think I know," Sango said quietly, and Kagome watched as mingled amazement and horror crept over her face. "Oh, Kagome...I...'

"Sango, tell me-"

"Maybe they weren't after Miroku, Kagome. Maybe they were after you."

Fear gripped her with icy tentacles She stared at Sango, the world receding around her in a curious haze. Sango leaned forward, her hands gripping Kagome's knee.

"Kagome, you're the one who had Rin's note. You're the one who had some proof that she might have been killed-"

"But I don't have it anymore," Kagome moaned. "Someone-oh, Sango-"

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"It has to be him. Everything points to him."

"Totosai," Sango whispered.

"He knew I was staying with them," Kagome said dully. "He knew about Rin..he told me she was dead. And it must have been him who listened in on my phone call with Eri...Inuyasha said Totosia had just been in Inutaisho's house to use the phone-he probably picked it up while I was on the line-and then he searched my room..and took Rin's note."

Sango reached out, her cold fingers claspimg around Kagome's wrists. "But you said he denied killing her, even though-"

"Well , what's he gonna do, turn himself in for murder? you said yourself he's the one who found the drowning victims on the beach. Didn't anyone ever suspect anything-"

Sango looked distraught. "Oh, they questioned him, but he awlays had an alibi, and I don't think anyone ever really believed there was foul play involved ! I just don't get it...why would Totosai go around killing women? And even if he did, then why would he stay on the island where they could catch him? It doesn't make sense-"

"Then why was he on the beach last night after Miroku's accident?" Kagome asked tersely. "Why was he sneaking around and trying to break in the gate? He could'nt have gotten rid of me very easily with everyone else around-"

Sango's face as growing paler by the second. "I don't know," she moaned, and her eyes lifted suddenly to the tall tower above them, fixing it with such a look of shock that Kagome's head snapped up.

"What's the matter?"

"Oh, god...someoens up there..someones watching us.."

Kagome cupped her hands around her eyes, squinting against the glare of sun and sun bleached rock, trying to make out the top of the lighhouse amidst it's crumbled stones and splintered railings. "Are you sure?"

"Someone was up there, I swear it. Not now, but he was.." Sango scrambled ot her feet, grabbing the blanket, the cups, flinging everything into the basket. Kagome had picked up the jug without even thinking and now stood watching her friend in dismay. Something came to her just then...something Inuyasha had said only an hour ago...something that confirmed all her groaing fears.."_Don't make it your business...you'll just end up getting hurt..."_

And then it hit her.

She looked up again at the lighthosue, felt Sango grab her by the shoulders and turn her around so they were face to face.

Of couse, kagome thought and her mouth dropped open with the clarity of it all.._of couse..Inuyasha knows that someone killed Rin..Totosai must know that he knows...he was trying to kill Inuyasha, not Mioku..Inuyasha and me...and mIroku was simply a case of mistaken identity..._

"Kagome," Sango was shaking her, "we've got to tell someone about all this...we..."

"But how can we? We have absoluely no proof. Nobody will ever believe us."

"You can't go on now without soeone knowing," Sango insisted deperately. "It's not safe for you-"

Not safe for me, Kagome thought, _"you'll just end up getting hurt..." _She stared at Sango, her face turning the color of chalk.

"If he tried something once, he might try it again," Sango said slowly. "He might just be waiting till you're alone, Kagome-don't you see?"

But of couse she did see...she saw the truth of the situation...saw herself caught up in a web of endless, endless fear...

Sango shook her again. "Kagome,...that body we found-he must have done it-and now he knows _you know."_

**Okey Dokey...that's it for ya. Please review. Ciao for not.**


	22. Boathouse

**DIsclaimer: I own nothing.**

_**The Island**_

_**Houseboat**_

Kagome dragged her feet through the sand. Sango had gone on to work promisinmg to see her tonight at the party, where they could talk some more. Until then Kagome knew her own mind would be a blur. She could hardly even concetrate now, and swore to herself as she suddenly tripped over someone's foot and fell forward.

"Excuse me, young lady, but we don't allow accidents on this beach." A pair of strong arms righted her, and she found herself looking up into Shippou's grin. " I suggest you get your own personal lifeguard. I recommend myself."

Kagome disentangled herself and couldnt help laughing. "What are you doing here?"

"I work her, remember?" He tipped his cap and steered her to a hot dog stand. "What's your pleasure?"

"For breakfast?"

Shippou wiggled his eyebrows. "Trust me-you won't regert this." He pushed his way to the counter, and Kagome leaned back against the wall.

"Hi."

She jumped, her cheek brushing against Miroku's , and felt his hand slide across her back, leaving warm tingles where he touched.

"Hi, yourself." _Oh, Miroku, I wish I could tell you what's happening but I'm afraid and I don't have any proof and you've been through so much already_..."I'm having-uh-breakfast."

"So I see." He looked slightly incredulous as Shippou returned and handed her a hot dog. It promply gushed a huge glob of mustard onto Miroku's bare feet, and he tried to rub it off into the sand. "Sorry I was in such a hurry this morning," Miroku said. "How was your picnic?"

Shippou looked up around a mouthful of bun. "Disastrous if Sango made it." He waved his last bite of hot dog and started off. "Gotta ge back. See you tonight, huh?"

Miroku took Kagome's hot dog and tossed it into a litter can. "Poison. Got any plans for the day?"

"Just walking."

"Good. You can walk me back to my station." They waved as Shippou's jeep made a swerve at them and disappeared back down the beach.

"Sango shouldn't have said what she did this morning." She looked up sideways, at his brown hair, the rich tan, the long, thick lashes...

"Yes, she should've. I was going to ask you. She didn't trap me."

"But I thought you guys are suppose to be working. Are you allowed to have dates?"

"Technically? No. But when Shippou happens to know who's giving the party, he makes sure people like you and Sango get invited. Don't worry. We'll just tell everyone you're part of the Beach Patrol."

"Sounds like a bad sitcom," Kagome laughed. She loved hearing Miroku laugh, too-loved the easy way it came out , bringing new lights to his blue eyes. Hearing him laugh like that, she could almost believe that everything was all right...

"By the way, Dad and your mom took off for the mainlnd." Miroku's eyes scanned the ocean as they walked. "She said she forgot to tell you." He put his hands on her shoulders and smiled down at her. "Well, this is where I get off. You coming to the beach later?"

Kagome answered evasively. "I don't know. I may stop in the village for a while...do some shopping."

"I give free lessons," Miroku reminded her. There was a teasing behind his innocent expression,and Kagome punched him lightly on the chest.

"In what?"

"Why, swimming, of course!" Miroku looked askance. "What were you thinking of?"

Kagome could still feel him-the gentle pressure of his hands upon her shouders, his chin softly brushing her forehead-all the way up the beach she could still feel him , and it warmed her all over. She kept walking thinking of his smile, his soft spoken voice, his laugh, until she suddenly realized she had reached the end of the beach.

For one disoriented moment Kagome stood there. Off to her right lay the ocean, to her left a clutter of bars and shops. In the distance she could see the mainland, and straight ahead of her the ferry landing. Kagome dropped her eyes to the boats docked just below where she was standing. She smiled, sniffing the air-the smell of fish and old, wet wood-and felt her smile freeze upon her lips.

Totosai was coming out of a houseboat.

He didn't see her standing just above him, gazing down with a look of fear. He limped across the pier and gestured to another old man who seemed to be waiting for him, and together they climbed into an open boat, and putted away.

Without thinking, Kagome went down the first flight of steps she came to, walking out onto the narrow wooden ramp that paralleled the larger pier up above. She went slowly, keeping her eyes on that boat pulling away, watching as it went around the curve of the beach and disappeared. Her heart was pounding.

She was standing right beside Totosai's houseboat.

There didn't seem to be anyone else around-not anyone or anything-save for the bad smell that hung in the air. A graveyard, Kagome thought sudennly, a graveyard for forgotten, old , old things...Swallowing hard, she swung herself up onto Totosai's deck, then ducked down again quickly, through the hatch, praying that nobody had stayed behind to wait for him.

The place was a pigsty. Kagome pressed her sleeve against her nose, holding her berath. Moldy food lay everywhere. There was a rumpled cot with a filthy sheet that looked like it had never been changed. Empty liquor bottles covered the greasy floor, the lingering odor of whiskey mingling with the stink of stale urine and sweat. _You must be crazy, coming here...you must be out of your mind... suppose he comes back...suppose he saw you and right now he's creeping up on deck..._

A sudden creaking made her scream-she put her hand to her mouth and backed up, feeling the boat groan beneath her feet. It wasn't safe here-she had to get out. The floor tilted, and she whirled around to the old brass-bound chest to steady herself against it.

The first thing she saw was the knife.

Kagome had never seen a knife that long or that ugly. Something thick had dried on the blade and had never been cleaned off, and the point looked dull and nearly blunted. Whoever felt the tip of this knife would die a slow, painful death...

In mingled horror and fascination she leaned forward. Now she could see something else there, puddled beneath the knife-something dark...dark red...

She reached out to touch it.

Somethin stuck to her fingers and clung as she drew back in alarm-something that streamed and flowed and ran down her arm covered in blood.

Only it wasn't just blood.

It was a scarf.

A long, red scarf that she had seen before. In a picturee on the mantel in Inutaisho's cottage.

RIn had been wearing it around her neck.

"No..." Kagome whispered, "Oh, no..."

There was a scurrying in the corner, and she wheeled around, screaming again as a huge, mangy rat fixed her with shining eyes.

Kagome dropped the scarf and ran.

**That's it folks. Please review. Will be updating soon.**


	23. Proof

**I know it's been forever since iv updated...But here ya go. I hop you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

_**Proof**_

_What am I going to do? _Kagome slammed the cottage door and leaned breathlessly against it. _Go to the sheriff? Tell him he can go right down and pick up his murderer? _No, Sango was probably her best bet, only Sango was working and she wouldn't see her till tonight. For a second, Kagome thought of going over to the restaurant, then remembered she didn't know the name of it or how to get there. Should she finally tell Miroku what was going on? Inuyasha? He'd be furious with her, she knew, but at least he already believed that Rin had been murdered. Shippou? But he would only accuse her of playing another joke on him...

Going to the mantel, Kagome picked up the photograph, staring at Rin and the red scarf. She hadn't made a mistake. She knew the scarf was Rin's. She knew Totosai had killed her. But _why?_

_"You'll just end up getting hurt..."_

She could call the sheriff. Leave an anonymous tip, then hang up before anyone could trace the call. She went into the kitchen and reached for the phone. It rang just as her hand closed around it, jolting her out of her skin.

"Kagome? Hello? Is anybody there?"

Kagome's hands were shaking so badly that she could hardly hold the receiver. "Mom? Is that you? Oh, Mom, I've got to tell you-"

"Listen, honey, I only have a second. InuTaisho's in the hospital. Kagome, can you hear me? I said Inutaisho is -"

"I hear you, ' Kagome said numbly. "What happened?"

"The doctors don't think it's anything serious-he collapsed, but he's resting now."

"Collapsed-"

"His heart, honey. They're sure it's from all the strain, but they want to keep him a couple days. Just to make sure. WIll you tell the boys?"

"They're not here right now. Nobody's here but me."

"...the shock, Kagome. It's just too much. But we'll be fine, huh? Try to have some fun and don't worry."

The click came, and Kagome stood there, staring down at the phone. Tell the boys. Just like that. Your dad had a heart attack and I've found your sister's murderer. Great Kagome, just great.

She forced herself back to the beach, surprised at how cloudy it was. She hunched her shoulders against the wind, and when she spotted the jeep coming towards her, she ran up and waved it down.

"Where's the fire?" SHippou grinned.

"Not exactly a fire," she said anxiously. "Inutaisho's in the hospital."

"You're kidding." Shippou's mouth dropped open. "Is it bad?"

"No, but they're keeping him a few days."

"His heart again?"

Kagome nodded, meeting Shippous grim expression with one of her own. "I'm on my way to find Miroku now. I think Inuyasha's on the East Beach-Do you know how i could get ahold of him?"

Shippou made a dismissive gesture. "Not to worry. Miroku's over there, too, helping him with something-I'll call them right now."

She smiled at him, relief running though her "I didn't want to have to...tell them..."

"I know." Shippou's eyes clouded over almost angrily. "it's a damn shame. How much more can happen?"

If you only knew, kagome thought-tell him-tell him now-make him call the sheriff and go to Totosai's houseboat-"SHippou-"

"See you later, huh?" Shippou squeezed her arm, leaving her with half formed words on her lips as he sped away.

Kaogme dragged herself back to Inutaisho's cottage and stretched out on the couch , staring again at the picture on the mantel. Rin's smile was so sweet, so touching..so much like Miroku's-the same gentleness, the same shyness-why do the innocent ones always have to suffer...? She threw her arm across her eyes, trying to shut out the image of the deer hanging on SHippou's wall, trying to stay awake...to keep the voice away...

_"Don't struggle...it'll be easier if you don't struggle..."_

And the roaring came again, like it always did, that growing surge of indistinct sound and a scream, muffled, distant...

_"Don't struggle..."_

But she was struggling...great gasps of terrifying instant of realization as strength gave out and water poured in, black and sickening and endless...

_"Don't..." the voice fading as everything faded, as her very life faded...ended..._

_"I'm trying to hold on, Dad-I'm trying-" _

She cried out , starting up off the couch, vagually aware of the knocking which had called her back to conciousness.

The room was dark and murky; twilight oozing past the windows. She inched toward the door, keeping flat against the wall, trying to peer out into the porch without being seen. Was that a laugh she had heard just then? Visions of Totosai swept through her mind-the knife-the huge rat watching her as she tried to run-if totosai was out there. If he knew she was alone...

The sound came again, and Kagome saw the tree limb slapping at the window . Inching open the door, she frowned at the swaying trees, the heavy smell of rain.

She was surprised at how late it was; half past six. Almost as an afterthought she grabbed her windbreaker on her way out; it might get cold later on. She wondered where everyone was, where the party was suppose to be. Noticing tlights fickering farther up the beach, she headed toward them.

Miroku ran up to her before she even reached the party site.

"Where were you? I was getting ready to call out te National Guard-" He was trying to joke, but he looked worried.

Kagome felt touched by his concern. "I fell asleep-"

"But I looked in your room-"

"No, Inutaisho's cottage. Sorry, guess I should have left a note or something."

Emotions struggled across his face, and he got them quickly under control. "It's just that... with all that's happneed..."

"I know. It's okay." She wasn't prepared for his arms going around her, drawing her against him. She closed her eyes and slipped her arms around his waist. He was trembling.

"If anything ever happened to you.." He left the sentece unfinished, and Kagome leaned against him, his heartbeat beneath her cheek.

"If you two can tear yourselves away from each other," Shippou came up, wiping sweat from his eyes, "there's lots to do back there-"

Miroku fell into step beside him and swung Kagome around, his arm still draped around her neck." Any news about Dad?"

Kagome shook her head. "No news is good nnews."

"I guess," Miroku conceded, then sighed. "I don't know about you, but I'm really not up to this tonight-"

"What?" Shippou's mouth dropped open. "Now Miroku, no one is ever too tired to party! It'll cure all your troubles! And besides, you get paid time and a half."

"Is Sango here?" Kagome was craning her neck, trying to locate her friend, but there were too many people on the beach.

The party site had been set up by the second lifeguard station, a fair distance away from the lighthouse, but still close enough to see the scarred cliffs in between glimpses of the moon. The sky had really clouded up. There were no stars, and a restless breeze chopped at the waves.

"We need to turn those floodlights on," Miroku peered inland, and Shippou followed his gaze.

"Okay, but I don't think they'll do much good."

"Well, the fire'll help some, I guess." Miroku watching Shippou disappeared through the crowd. Several minutes later two tall light poles, practically hidden by trees, burst into feeble illumianation. Miroku studied them for several seconds, then turned as an ivisible someone called his name. "I geuss you'll have to mingle without me for a while." He smiled down at Kagome, bus his face still looked tired.

"Don't worry about me, I'm a great mingler."

"Thats what I will worry about," Miroku tossed back, and Kagome set out to find Sango.

The beach was beautiful by firelight. Kagome stood back, entranced by the huge camp fire blazing up into the night, the sand glowing like fallen embers, the cliffs gleaming like mounded ash. Beyond the blare of music came the sounds of dancing and singing, the sizzle of wood and food cooking, and the whine of the wind.

"Sango!" Kagome raiseed her hand and maneuvered her way over to where Sango was pulling a can of soda from an ice tub. "There you are! I..." Kagome felt her greeting die as she caught a glimpse of Sango's face. It was red and puffy from crying, and even now she looked like she might cry again. "Sango..what's.."

"Oh, Shippou and I had a unusual..."

"But I just saw him...He didnt seem upset."

"He never does. I'm going to dance with every guy at this party. I'm never going to speak to him again." She sounded hurt and angry, and Kagome reached out for her.

"Sango, I'm sorry about you and Shippou...but I have to talk to you. Can you forget it for just five minutes? I have proof that Totosai killed Rin..."

"You what?"

They hurried past the crowd, past the lights, forming a tight little huddle among the trees and dunes.

"Sango, listen to me. You know that picture on the mantel at Inutaisho's ? The one of the family?" To each question, Sango nodded, and Kaogme rushed on. "The scarf Rin was wearing...Totosai has that scarf! Oh, Sango dont you see..."

"Where?" Sango broke in, her face stunned. "How do you know?"

"Because I saw it. In his houseboat."

Sango's eyes nearly bulged out of her head. "What!"

"Oh, Sango, I know I shouldn't have, but I couldn't help it! I had to!"

"I have to sit down," Sango said weakly. She stared up at Kagome as if her friend had gone mad.

"I'm not crazy, I really did go..."

"Oh, Lord..."

"There was a knife there. This long, I swear to God. And Rin's scarf right beside it."

"Rin's..."

"We've got to tell somebody. People have to know that Rin didn't just have an accident. They have to know that there's a murderer loose on the island.."

"Well, what are you gonna do? Tell the sheriff?" Sango looked totally dumbfounded. Her can of soda turned over, draining into the sand.

"I thought...I'd tell Inuyasha..."

"Inuyasha! Why on earth..."

"Sango, I told you before, Inuyasha's the only one who believes something bad happened to Rin. Maybe the sherif will listen to him if he tells hime about Totosai.."

A voice that wasn't sangos asked quetly, "Tells him _what_ about Totosai?"

They stared at eachother, fozen. Inuyasha, Miroku and Shippou were all standing beside the path , watching them, their faces blank with disbelief.

"I can't believe you two," Shippou mumbled. "You're really something."

"How dare you spy on us!" Sango shouted, struggling for her dignity . Inuyasha's look suggested that he would dare anything he damn well pleased. "How rude!" she added lamely.

For a second Kagome thought Inuyasha was actually going to laugh, which made it even worse.

"Totosai did it," she raised her chin defiantly. "He killed Rin. I know he did."

MIroku looked stunned.

Inuyasha onodded, more to himself than to her. "He confessed, I supoose."

"Of course he didn't confess!" Kagome blurted out. "He says he didn't do it but that he knows who did! But he's lying!"

"What proof?" Inuyasha demanded.

Kagome's voice dropped. "Rin's scarf. It was lying on his trunk, beside a knife with bloodstains on it."

"A knife with..." Inuyasha's lips twitched in a humorless smile. "Of course, I see now. Solid concrete evidence."

Shippou threw back his head and hooted with laughter. "Fish blood! You girls are just too much!"

"It was hers," Kagome snapped, but her tone had grown less confident. "It was. The scarf. The one she had on in that picture..."

MIroku was just staring, as if words had completely desereted him.

Inuaysha studied the ground. The dunes. The breif glow of moon through passing clouds. "Yes...well...I imagine Rin was the only one in the world who had a red scarf."

Kagome heard Sango make a sound in her throat. Her own face began to burn. "I can't believe you're all being so _cold_ about this. I thought you'd..."

Inuyasha's hand came out of the darkness so fast, closed around her arm so tightly that she gasped.

"You don't know anything about this. Not anything. Maybe the scarf wasn't even hers; nobody knows what she had on that night. Or maybe it was hers. Or mabe Totosai found it after she was already lying out on therocks somewhere. Did you ever think of that?"

"Well...no...but..."

"And maybe you can tell the sheriff you went breaking and entering and trying to cause trouble for people...hell, I'm surprised you didn't just take the scarf! Then they could have got you for burglary, too!"

Kagome was shaking, partly from anger, partly from fear at his outburst. Sango hadn't uttered a word. Kagome wondered it she had fainted.

"I...thought...you'd atleast...care," she managed to stammer, and felt a jolt through her body as Inuyasha shook her.

"You don't know what I _care_ about," he seethed. "You don't know _what_ I feel or what..." A strange look crossed his face then, made him pause...stop...as if he had momentarily lost his train of thought. It was a look she couldn't quite identify: Fear? Surprise? Regret at having said too much? He released her almost roughly and stalked away, but it was several more minutes before anyone spoke.

Shippou began to chuckle, softly at first, then louder until he finally reached up to wipe his eyes. "You crazy girls...Kagome Holmes and Doctor Sango..." He shook his head, still laughing as he walked away, and Miroku looked down, his voice strangely tight.

"Look...Kagome..."

"Oh, just go away and leave me alone. " She went over to Sango, refusing to look at him, and at last he turned and went back to the beach.

"Yeah, well, thanks for nothing, you jerks!" Sango kicked furiously at the sand, groaning as she stubbed her toe. Kagome just stood there and watched her. "We should have known better...at least I thought Miroku would believe us...but...oh, forget it, who needs them anyway?" She retrieved her empty can with one angry swipe. "Try to help, and this is what you get. What's the matter with them, anyway...you'd think they didn't want to know the truth! Like they're all so _protective_ of Totosai all of a sudden!" she sputtered. "Like they're all so _conviced_ that Totosai could'nt have done it! And how would they know anyway?"

Kagome didn't answer.

She gazed out into the flickering darkness, at the glare of the fire, the patina of the sea...but what she saw instead was that strange, dark look on Inuyasha's face that chilled her soul.

**Please Review!**


	24. Drowning

Well, here's the next chapter for ya :), hope you enjoy

Disclaimer: I own nothing

_The Island_

_**Drowning**_

He stood in the shadows. Oblivious to the noice and the laughter on the beach.

They shouldn't be here-they had no right-this was _his_ beach and there was so much to do...

He stared down at his fists and saw that they were shaking.

_Totosai! Totosai knows who did it!_

He would be sad to have to kill him, of course-he really liked Totosai-but he really didn't even have a choice now.

And Kagome...well...it would only be a mater of time and she'd figure it out...

Kagome was too smart for her own good.

People like that just ended up getting hurt...

He covered his face with his hands and felt the cold sweat pouring off of him. He always felt like this. Sick, sad and empty-when it was time for the game to be over.. When it was time to do what he had to do.

Like last summer with Kikyo...after all the planning, the waiting...and it had been so _easy_, luring her into the water like that...

He smiled and started toward the light, a noiseless shadow, invisible in the crowd.

Tonight. He'd get them both tonight.

_Poor Kagome..._

No one could save her now.

**XXXXXX**

"I don't like the looks of that sky," Miroku squinted against the wind, forcing his hair back from his eyes.

"I don't either," Inuyasha agreed. "Did anyone hear a weather report?"

"Chance of a storm, but not till tomorrow" Shippou stiffened in his chair, gave a sharp blast on his whistle. "Hey! You two clowns over there, cut it out right now! You want to get yourselves killed?"

Kagome and Sango exchanged looks as Inuyasha and Miroku ran off to break up a fight in the water. After a brief struggle in which the perpetrators were seperated, Shippou seemed satisfied and settled down again. Sango eyed him acidly.

"No beer? Or is your whislte spiked?"

"My dear, I'm on duty," Shippou reminded her self-righteously.

"Well, I'm off duty. Permanently." She marched away, and Shippou held up his megaphone, shouting after her.

"Yea, well, why don't you fix up your attitude while you're at it, huh?"

"Shut up, Shippou!"

"Don't test me, Sango-don't even think about making me jealous, you hear? It won't work. You're dead if you do!"

Kagome gasped, staring up into his face. It looked eery and unnatural, half in and out of the shadow. "Do you think it will storm? She hurried to change the subject, folding her arms around one of the wooden posts, staring at the mass of thick darkness. She would have preferred not talking to any of them again, but a feeling of uneasiness had settled over her, one she couldn't seem to shake, and the boiling clouds overhead weren't helping any.

"Hey-" Shippou's hand came down, patting her head. "Don't worry about it,. We got the lifeguards here-one of us will save you, I promise."

She ignored the remark. "Any bathrooms around here?"

"If you mean those wonderful little outhouses,they're back there." Shippou pointed toward a cluster of dunes and added. "Need an escort?"

"Thanks, but I thought you came with someone else."

She turned away, but his voice stopped her.

"Kagome?"

She was surprised at the look on his face-gentle, almost embarrased, and definitely unShippou like. "Look...about what happend back there, I shouldn't have laughed, and I'm sorry. I know you're only trying to help . You've been...well...good for Miroku. For all fo us. I'm real glad you're here."

She didn't know what to say. She saw his shoulders squaring, as if adjusting himself back into his old personality, and he stood up and made a bow.

"The great one has spoken," he said.

"I believe he has. " She smiled at him and turned back to the path.

She was glad there wasn't a line at the bathroom, but it was scary back there so far from the light with no people around. When she started down the footpath again she tried to avoid the shadows, unsettled by the swaying palms and their deceptive patterns wished she knew where Sango had gone. She could hardly tell where the rocks ended and the darkness began...the rocks...so bulky and bowed...like nighttime creatures hulking there, waiting to step out and grab her.

And then one did.

Kagome felt the sudden hold on her wrist, saw the black shape lunge between her and the sky, felt the scream rise in her throat and strangle her as relentless hands pressed hard over her mouth. She reeled backward, gagging as the sour stench of whiskey and vomit overwhelmed her.

"Won't do you no good screaming, girl. " She felt his rancid breath in her ear, down her neck. "I'll be gone so quick, they'll thing you're crazy for sure."

Kagome's whole body thudded, one girnt, racing heartbeat.

"I see you go in there, to my place. I knowed you looked around." His voice exploded in a gleeful laugh, shrill and singsonglike. " 'Cause Totosai has eyes in the back of his head...'cause Totosai has eyes in the back of his head!" She groaned and struggled, but he slammed her hard against him. "You think I done her in don't you? I know what you think, and I know what I saw, And you better not waste your time barking after old Totosai, little girl-you'd best be worrying about yourself!"

Kagome thought her neck would snap; he was bending her head back, slowly, slowly, till all at once she could see the greasy eye patch and the puckered ridges across his face. His breath hit her again, making her swoon.

"You know too much," he hissed. "So have a care, girl. Why, I'm just likely to find you some fine mornin, washed right up on that beach like all the others-"

Kagome bit him. WIth one quick jerk she twisted her mouth free and brought her teeth down on his hand, tasting blood. WIth a cry of pain, Totosai staggered back, and Kagome hurtled toward the beach, screaming at the top of her lungs.

_"MIroku! Miroku! Somebody help me!"_

And at first she thought it was her screams resounding in the far corners of her frenzled brain...her voice bounching off the rocks, coming back at her in stereophonic panic-

_"Help-Somebody help!"_

She stopped, totally confused. Behind her, the path was empty. Ahead of her the party was besides herself had been screaming..was still screaming...even now...

"Help-drowning-help-"

It was far away yet terrifyingly close, that awful sound, water being gulped down...choked back up..arms trashing...helpless..mad with terror...

Kaogme's eyes went wide. Sobbing, she ran for shore-_My God, where is she?_

_"Help-help me-"_

_Where was everybody-couldn't they hear? _"Help!" Kagome shriedkd, hating the suddeen silence, worse than the screams. "Where are you?"

Something broke surface...flailing...struggling...In a daze of horror Kagome saw the arms come out of the water-ghostly in a silver of moonlight...and they reached for her..and went under...

"Miroku!" She raced toward the lights, and she was still screaming, screaming, she didnt think she had ever stopped screamming..."Miroku!"

But someone had seen her now. Someone at last, had seen her, people running, gathering around her-SHippou from one direction-Miroku from another...It was Inuyasha who reached her first, who caught her, trying to decipher the gibberish that spilled from her lips.

"Hurry-someone's drowning-"

"What?" Her teeth rattled as he shook her. "Kagome, where? Are you sure?"

"I'm sure-I heard her-I heard her-"

She felt Inuysha's slap across her cheek, heard Miroku telling him to stop and Inuyasha snapping something back, and Shippou and all of them running, and she was running, too, leading them to the spot where she had seen the body go down...

The left her on shore, and she watched them in a hazy blur, diving in, swimmming out. Someone-Shippou, she thought-ran to call for a rescue crew, but was back again so quickly she thought she must have only imagined it. And everyone was running out now-the party stopping-word spread by invisible waves of fear . They stood around watching , waiting, as the waves buffeted the lifeguards around like so many broken shells.

"I can't find her!" Miroku cried.

"Leave it!" Shippou's voice swelled above the surf, joined by the deeper shouts of Inuyasha.

"The rescue's here, Miroku! Leave it ! Swim back!"

"NO!"

Someone grabbed Kagome's arm-she swung around and stared into Sango's frightened eyes. They held onto eachother without speaking. Silence stretched on and on, until Inuyasha shouted again, pleading, "Miroku ! Come on-you can't do any more-"

For as long as she lived she would never forget Miroku's voice then, the uncrontrollable desperation echoing back to them through the wind and the water.

"I can't find her, Inuyasha-I can't find anyone-"

"Miroku! Come back!"

"Inuyasha-somebody-_for God's sake, I can't find her!"_

_**Please Review, will be updating soon :)**_


	25. Exposure

**IM SO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG FOR ME TO UPDATE. PLEASE FORGIVE ME. :(, HECTIC LIFE RIGHT NOW. ANyways, in a lighter tone here's the next chappy. Hope you enjoy :)**

**Exposure**

"I don't believe it. I just don't believe it." Shippou hung up the phone and turned to face them, his expression baffled.

"Are you sure?" Inuyasha asked again. "Are they sure?"

Miroku stared at the floor, as if it had hypnotized him.

"They've checked and double-checked." Shippou fell with a thump into his chair and took an absentminded sip of coffee. "They say it's a mess over there; everybody still has a different story about what happened. Most of them still think it was a joke, and they're mad ' cause it ruined their party."

Sango sqeueezed Kagome's arm, but they kept quiet.

"Nobody's missing," Shippou said incredulously. "Nobody's missing and nobody's reported anyone missing."

"It's a mistake then," Sango said flatly. "They've made a mistake-"

"oh, Sango, don't be stupid," SHippou shot back.

"If Kagome saw someone, then there was someone!"

The silence was electric. Kagome lifted her face from her hands and looked accusingly at each of the boys in turn.

"I know what you're thinking." Now their eyes were on her; only Miroku had the grace to look halfway guilty. "I didn't imagine it. It was as real as any of you. I heard someone scream, and I heard someone fighting for her life."

Inuyashas mouth tightened into a thin line. "How do you know it was a her?"

"Because it sounded like a her!" Kaogme nearly shouted. " I heard her, and I saw her go down! I don't care what you say!"

"This happened before." ," Sango said softly.

Everyone stared at her, reluctantly.

"Come on," Shippou said too quickly, too lightly. "You can't-"

"It did happened before." Miroku shook his head slowly, staring at some inner memory. "That other lifeguard-Kikyo-the night she drowned, she heard someone drowning, too...only..."

The silence stretched on forever, until Inuyasha suddenly filled it. "Only there wasn't anybody there. Except Kikyo. Yeah, I've heard all that garbage-what are you bringing all that up for again?" But he looked uneasy and shifted his eyes away.

"I saw someone," Kagome whispered.

Shippou seemed fascinated by an invisible spot on the ceiling. He watched it for quite a long while before he spoke again. "But that was the sheriff that just called back, Kagome, and he said-"

_"She knows what he said, Shippou, she's not deaf!" _Sango snapped.

Kagome jumped up from the couch, flinging away Moriku's arm. He looked slightly stunned, but her pride forced her on out the front door and across the yard to the beach, where the wind and the ocean drowned out her anger. "I hate you!" she screamed, and she raised her fists into the air and shook them at the endless black water. "I hate you! I'll always hate you!"

Her knees gave out, spilling her onto the sand. "I hate you...I do..." And still the screams came and all the memories, all hurting, all hurting at once, until there was no strength left in her whole body.

Kagome lay there, limp and exhausted. She didn't even move when she realized that someone had sat down beside her...that myabe he had been sitting there for a very long time.

He handed her a handkerchief, and at last she looked up.

It was Inuyasha.

"Go away," Kagome siad miserably. "I don't want to talk to you." She blew her nose and squeezed her eyes tightly. ALready her head was beginning to throb.

"Tell me again what you saw," Inuyasha said quietly, but kagome turned her face away.

"No. I've told you a million times already. Look, do you think this is my idea of a joke? That I'd put Miroku-or any of you-through all this-" She broke off, and slowly got herself under control. "You..saw im out there tonight," she went on unevenly. "He was like a crazy person. It broke my heart."

A long silence drew out between them, beneath the low howl of the wind, and the waves crashing onto the shoreline. Kaogme shivered violently and pressed herself into the sand.

"And what else is breaking it?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome stiffened, ready to defend herself with denials. But she just couldn't fight it anymore.

"My father died. Two years ago." She waited for some word of condolence, but when it didn't come she went on. "We were at the beach, and we'd gone out into the boat." She held her breath till her head felt like exploding. She exhaled slowly. "Somehow...the boat turned over. Dad..." She swallowed painfully, her voice catching-"Dad didn't make it. He saved my life...but he...drowned."

Beside her the shadows shifted as if Inuyasha had lowered his head. She felt his thigh against the curve of her arm.

"I still see him, you know...I have these dreams and they keep coming and they're so real...I see him reaching out to me, and telling me not to struggle, because it'll be easier if I don't fight him..."

She couldn't stoop the crying then, no matter how hard she tried to hold it back, but when at last she grew silent, Inuyasha was still there.

"Well," she said at last, drawing a shaky breath, "now you know. I guess you're sorry you asked."

"And I guess I'm supposed to blame you or feel bad for you beacuse your father's dead and you're not. Is that it?"

Kagome was so shocked that she raised up on her elbows. "He did trying to save me! Don't you understand? He was the kindest, the most loving-"

"A saint, yes, I see." Inuyasha waved his hand. "Please. Spare me the details."

She gaped at him. "How can you talk like that? You don't understand at-"

"I understand," Inuyasha said slowly, each word distinct, "That some things happen to us that we can't control. There's no explanation for them, and they never make sense, no matter how much we want them to. That whether we're good or bad they don't really have anything to do with us at all." His black eyes fixed on hers, drawing her into their depths. "I understand," he said," that you've been given a second chance. My advice to you is don't blow it."

Kaogme felt anger surging up in her, and the look she gave him was scathing. "Well, I might just be dead by morning, thanks to you, and I hope that makes you very happy!"

"Dead!" Inuyasha scoffed. "Of what? felling sorry for yourself? 

"It just might interest you to know that Totosai almost strangled me tonight!" It was out before she thought, and Inuyasha's eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"He threatened to kill me!" she went on, but some of the boldness had gone fron her voice. "He said I might wash up on the beach some morning like all the others." She shut her eyes against a sudden image...a body...by the lighthouse...in the weeds...

"Totosai said that?" Inuaysha's voice sank even lower, his stare going though her like a lance.

"He saw me go on his boat today," Kagome admitted reluctanly. "He said again that he didn't kill Rin...But-"

"But what?"

"What he told me before. That he knows who did."

Inuyasha wasn't even looking at her now. He was gazing out to sea, and the wind lashed his hair, giving him a wild, frightening look. Kaogme heard his voice, carefully.

"Did he say who it is?" Inuyasha asked.

She shook her head. "No. Just that he knew. But he didn't tell me."

Something snapped on the path behind them and Inuyasha was on his feet so fast that Kagome wasn't even certain she had seen him jump up.

"Relax," Shippou's voie came out of the dark. "It's just us."

It was obvious that Inuyasha didn't appreciate being eavesdropped on. He reached down and pulled Kagome roughly to her feet, glaring at the newcomers. "What do you want?"

"We were getting worried, " Sango said annoyed at Inuyasha.

Shippou just laughed it off. "So old Totosai has the murderer picked out , huh? Well, this island is just crawling with smart detectives-"

"That's not funny, Shippou," Sango glared at him.

"Sure it is. ALmost as funny as you and Kagome are." Shippou grabbed her arm, but Sango shook him off. "Oh, come on, be a big girl and use your head-you remember, that place where everyone else has a brain? 

"Drop dead, Shippou," Sango muttered and Kagome stood there helplessly, watching her go.

"Sango!"

"I'll see you tomorrow!" Sango called back, strangely choked. "Are you walking on the beach in the Morning?"

"Yes, but-Sango, wait!" Kagome ran after her, only half conscious of the boys heading back to the house. "Sango-"

"Its my fault, you know"-Sango wiped angrily at her tears, tried to smile. "He's such a total jerk and I'm so stupid-"

"No, you're not. I think Shippou likes you more than you know-More than he knows-"

"Now who has an empty head?" Sango's laugh was weak, and she shivered. "Listen, can I borrow your jacket? It's a cold walk home."

"Why don't you wait a minute," Kagome slipped out of her windbreaker, handing it over. "Let Mioku give you a ride-"

"No thanks." Sango jerked the hood up over her head and dug her hands into the pockets. "See you in the monring."

Kagome trudged back, going up to her room without seeing anyone. The boys were all in the kitchen and, she supposed, still having fun at ther expense. She tried to put herself in their places, but it only made her angrier. _I'd believe Miroku..I'd belive Miroku, no matter what he told me..._

The knock at her door nearly sent her out of her skin. "Who is it?" she asked, almost angrily.

"Me. Miroku." Kagome went over and opened the door, and they stood there lookin at each other. There were dark circles under his eyes, a gauntness to his cheeks where the last few days had finally taken their toll. "I...just wanted to check on you..to see if-"

"If I'm still seeing things?" The words were out before she could stop them. She turned away and sat on the foot of her bed.

"Look," Miroku said at last, "I don't know what happened out there tonight...what you saw or heard...I do know that something was wrong. That something terrified you. I guess...well, I guess I just went crazy for a minute, diving in and not finding anyone. I guess I just kept thinking about Rin and..." His explanation trailed off, and his eyes lifted, bewildered. "I'm really sorry about your dad."

So he and Shippou had heard that part, too. Kagome stiffened as Miroku crossed the room and sat down beside her. "This whole thing...I guess it's been like a nightmare for you."

And again she numbed her emotions, her body, her mind. It took a while to even realize that Miroku's fingers had slipped beneath her chin, were tilting her head so their eyes met.

"Oh, Kagome," he whispered , and his lips met hers, his arms strong in ther gentlness, wrapped around her, easing her down, holding her close, keeping her safe..."Kagome," he murmured again, and for just one brief, sweet instant, pressed against him, heartneat to heartbeat, all her walls and defenses crumbled uselessly, finally away..."Kagome...I need you..."

**XXXXXXX**

He flattened himself against the lighthouse wall, his eyes wide and fixed in terror on the rocks below.

_"It wasn't her!"_

This couldn't have happened-couldn't have , not to him-not when he'd planned so carefully...

The wind was like the inside of his head, screaming and shrieking, like she had screamed...like she had screamed and screamed, the whole way down until she'd finally hit those rocks and lay still...

He caught his breath, his own scream choking him.

It was Kagome's fault, this terrible thing that had happened.

_Kagome's fault._

She'd said she'd be out walking this morning...he'd heard her say that...and he'd waited for her, oh, so patiently...just watched and waited for that purple windbreaker to come up the beach...waited and followed...tracking her..choosing the perfect moment...

And he'd felt that strange, wonderful thrill coming up behind her...that flow of pure invincibility...that strange, cold joy as she sensed him there and whirled around-

Only it wasn't Kagome.

It wasn't Kagome that had whirled around, eyes wild, staring, not begging, just staring and crying-"Oh, my God..not you...not you..."-And her eyes, two perfect mirrors of his wwn face-

He'd hated what he'd seen in her eyes.

In that last split second, what he'd seen there with the horror and the terrible fear.

_PIty._

He'd shoved her , hard, because he'd had to, because she knew who he was now, and she was sorry for him, and he hated her for that_...hated_...

"Oh, Sango...Sango..." he whimpered, "I didn't want to kill you, too..."

And again he heard the screams, Sango's screams as her body had hurtled down the cliff, and his screams, even now, as he leaned against the lighthouse wall, and he couldn't stop..couldn't stop...

_It was all Kagomes' fault._

_She had tricked him._

The lifeguard drew a ragged breath and stared down at the limp body on the rocks.

_Tricked him..._

Now...and finally...it was his turn

**DUN, DUN DUN. PLEASE DONT HATE, AND PLEASE REVIEW. UPDATING SOON, ONLY COUPLE CHAPPYS LEFT :)**


	26. Secrets

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, sadly :(. **

The Island

Secrets

At first she thought it was still night.

The room was so dark that Kagome groped for the clock and stared at it, convinced it must have broken sometime while she slept.

'8:30'

Puzzled kagome roused herself and looked out through the windows. It was hard to tell where the ocean ended and the horizon began. The sky was a boiling mass of black, the waves choppy shadows, the sand a metal-gray, so that every thing melted together in a thick, murky blur, Sporatic stabs of lighting pierced the clouds and a strange, thick mist hung over everything. Kagome shuddered and jumped out of bed, switching on the light. She wouldn't be taking a walk this morning.

There was a radio going downstairs-she could hear the drone of a newscaster and bursts of static. A cabinet door opened and closed. There was a murmur of voices, the smell of strong coffee. The phone rang once, then clattered down again. The boys were probably both downstairs; Kagome doubted if the beach would open today.

She went to the closet and rummaged through her sparse assortment of clothes. She hadn't planned on it being quite so cold, and now Sango had borrowed her only jacket. She hoped Sango didn't forget to return it-it was her favorite one. Thinking of Sango now made her smile. She had grown close to her in a short time-she hoped they would stay friends even after Kagome went back home. She chuckled to herself. Hopefully Sango would be recovered now from her fight with with Shippou, although Shippou probably deserved to suffer, just a little.

The jeans and shirt she finally put on were'nt nearly warm enouph. Kagome hesitated a minute, staring into the closet at Rin's things. Maybe there was a T-shirt or light pullover she could tuck descreetly under her own shirt. It really was so cold in here...

A quick search through the hangers proved fruitless. Kagome stood on tiptoe, trying to see the high shelf at the back of the closet. There were stacks of things folded and several boxes-maybe there was something she could borrow.

She dragged a chair over and stood on it. Pullinng on the nearst pile of clothes, she was instantly showered with envelopes that fell from a box.

"Damn!" Kagome jumped back and began gathering everying up-clippings, photographs,letters-trying not to look at them, feeling like the worst kind of intruder. She swept them all back into the box when suddenly one particular piece of paper caught her eye, like the others, this one didn't have an evelope, and it had come unfolded. But it wasn't only the writing which caught her attention now-it was the official insignia stamped across the top:

TOKYO PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL

For several long minutes Kagome stared at it, and then, hating herself, she bagan to read, her eyes widening as they descended the paper.

_Dear Rin,_

_ Yes, to answer your last letter, I'm doing much better. As you can see, they even let me have a pen to write with now! Doc says I'm making great progress. I've had lots of time to think here-to think about what I almost did. I know you can't run away from your troubles. I'll never be Miroku, and Dad will never accept me like that. What I tried to do to myself was the worst thing I could ever have done. But I'm lucky-I'm getting a second chance and I want to make it work this time._

_ So how's Dad? Miroku calls, but never comes-the calls are always in secret, of course. Guess I'm not the sort of thing you want your important friends to know about. But I guess I can handle that, too. But why hasn't Dad at least been to see me? Or written? Or anything?_

_ I'm glad you liked the scarf I sent. And you're sweet to keep writing me, to keep believing in me. Guess you're the only one who does, besides myself. Maybe if we'd been born into some different family, you and I could have known each other Rin._

_Time to put this out for the mail. I look forward to your letters-they keep me going._

_Inuyasha_

_P.S. I love you, too._

Kagome stared.

And even after she refolded the paper and put it back in its box, she sat there on the floor, staring but not seeing ...until finally the room, and her thoughs, began to focus back.

Inuyasha? In a psychiatric hospital? Her mind could hardly grasp it, and she shook her head incredulous. Inuyasha...and envious...of Miroku? Kagome stared at the folded paper. What had Inuyasha tried to do to himself? Tokyo Psychiatric Hospital. Yet there was something else in the back of her mind...something important...Tokyo...something that Sango had told her...

"Kagome? You awake?"

**:(, I know it's short, but i wanted to give you something. Please review. Will be updating soon.**


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